The Case of the Silver Fox
by StoryCrusader
Summary: Nick and Judy are good partners. They are a crime fighting team. Life had been normal. They were best friends when a nice day turns into something else. Soon, they are faced with a terrifying new enemy who had always kept to the shadows. Their life is going to change, but will it be for the better? Or worse? BEING REWRITTEN!
1. Prologue

**Hello and welcome to sort of an intro to my first ever fanfiction! I hope you like it. Enjoy! - StoryCrusader**

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 **Prologue _(well sorta but we'll go with it;_ _You can skip it if you want._ )**

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Nicholas Wilde hung his head low as he looked at the object in his paws.

The red-furred fox was leaning against a wall underneath a bridge near an old warehouse. He rotated the carrot-pen in his paws absentmindedly while he pondered about the past few days.

He sighed and placed the pen back in his pocket before dawning his sunglasses and plopping down onto the lawn chair that was setup in the sunlight out from underneath the bridge.

A war of emotions and thoughts was being waged inside the usually clear headed fox. The events dealing with a certain rabbit were the focus of this war.

 _Had I been too hard on her? I mean, what she said at the press conference had been honest and could very well be the truth for all I knew._

Nick let out a sigh. He took out the pen again to feel it in his paws. His ears laid back as he rested his head against the backrest of the chair. He closed his eyes and thought back to when the rabbit in question, Judy Hopps, had hustled him using this very pen. That was the first time he felt something connect between him and the bunny. The day she found out about Nick and Finnick's hustling operation, Nick had thought the bunny as pathetic, chasing an impossible dream.

 _'_ _This is Zootopia, where anyone can be anything.'_

Judy's sweet voice rang in his head. At the time, Nick didn't believe it. His past had convinced him that he could not be anything more than a sly, up-to-no-good fox. If he couldn't achieve his dreams how could a little rabbit achieve hers. He had laughed inwardly at her. He had belittled her, made her feel worthless. He had seen the pain in her eyes and had figured he had succeeded at convincing her that she was wasting her time chasing an impossible dream.

But, Nick had underestimated that bunny. So much so that when they met again, he was surprised at her sheer determination, even more than the fact that she had managed to hustle him, the sly and cunning fox, into helping her with her case. He could not have been prepared for what happened next.

After the hustle, the fox couldn't help but to start questioning his own doubts about achieving his own dreams. But more than that, he also began to respect the doe and even started to enjoy her company, and when she saved his life that night in the rainforest district, Nick felt dedicated to right his wrong and was willing to go to any lengths necessary to help her fulfill her goals and make a difference.

After they had tracked the missing animals to that medical facility and Judy's career had been spared from destruction, Nick felt something he never felt before towards anyone: pride. The fox actually felt sincere pride for the bunny. But at the press conference when Judy talked about the predators possibly converting back to their primal-biological selves, something snapped inside Nick.

He felt betrayed, angry, tricked into having feelings toward the rabbit. He had trusted the rabbit, but when she said what she said about predators and _biology_ , Nick felt his heart being crushed in that very moment. It made him feel the familiar feeling of being incapable of achieving his own dreams because he was a fox and a predator and that no one will ever him as anything else.

The only one, a rabbit of all things, to ever give him hope and determination to overcome the predator-fox stereotype had just crushed that very same hope.

Nick felt a tear come to his eye and quickly wiped it away, afraid someone will notice even though he was alone. It was not normal for the fox to shed a tear, or let any sign of emotion show for that matter, but for the first time in years he couldn't help it, and he didn't know why. The fox played the recording on the pen and managed a grin as he listened to his own voice in the recording.

 _Sly bunny._

Nick let out a chuckle, and another tear fell. He wiped it away.

 _Dumb fox._

He remembered her saying how he could actually make a pretty good cop. The words from her lips was enough for him to believe it, but now it was too late.

He had hurt the very rabbit who could have helped him out of this life he lived. He always talked and went about his life like it was everything he had ever wanted, but that was not true at all. He had to live his life under the stress of constantly trying to stay two steps ahead of the cops as well as all the animals he had ever hustled.

He lived under a bridge. When it rained, he could not stay under said bridge because it flooded, so he had to move, usually to the abandoned warehouse nearby. He had little to no clothes other than the ones he wore. He had to hustle people for money to buy food and other necessities. His life was horrible, and some of the things he had done to others were equally as horrible.

It had took Judy for Nick to realize how broken his life had come, and he had relied on that same bunny to help him fix it. But, she was gone now. He had pushed her away.

It had been months since the press conference. Since then, Judy had quit the force and moved back home, and Nick was worried she would never come back. The rabbit felt guilty.

 _And the dumb fox feels guilty for causing the rabbit to feel that guilt._

Nick sniffed and regained his composure. He wished she would come back. The fox knew that if she didn't he might have to track her down because of his own guilt. He still felt hurt from what she said, but felt even more pain for what he himself had said to her afterwards.

If only she would come back.

"Nick!"

Nick's ears shot up when he heard the distant call.

 _Judy?!_

His heart nearly jumped for joy, but he kept calm and quickly slipped into the calm-but-still-mad-at-you façade. He swiftly pocketed the pen, grabbed the light reflecting object next to him, and acted like he was sun tanning. He could hardly keep himself from smiling with joy as he heard her shout again. He finally spied the grey furred rabbit atop the bridge saying his name before finding her way down to him. All the while, a plan quickly formed in Nick's mind that almost made his tail wag at the thought, but he suppressed the action.

He could not be mad at the rabbit, in fact he felt nothing but compassion for her as she slid down the slope. He was just happy that she had came back. By the looks of it, she may even had figured out another piece to the puzzle that may disprove the whole 'predators reverting back to their primal nature' thing. Nick didn't care. He felt the carrot-pen in his pocket. All he wanted was the rabbit to say how she _really_ felt, no simple 'I'm sorry' will cut it, and he will keep up the act for as long as it took for her to do so AND record her saying it. There was a _high_ chance that she will say something that Nick could not allow her to forget anytime soon.

With a final mental smirk, Nick pretended to take notice of the rabbit for the first time.

He owed his life to the bunny, but he could not allow himself to pass up this opportunity. He _could_ come out right away and say that all is forgiven, BUT….

The fox hid his grin away from Judy.

 _Where will be the fun in that? Hehehe!_

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 **AND! Scene! Well that was that. Pretty short? I know. It is sort of a teaser anyway of the emotional lunacy that is to come, although it may take me a while to develop and write.**

 **Don't worry, the story is not going to be this emotional all the time. Like I said, this is sort of a foreshadowing of the underlining emotional conflict of the actual story.**

 **Anyway, I hope you liked it! If you watched the movie, you have probably picked out when this whole scene unfolded and which scene it opened up to at the end. ;) Well I hoped that this made you look at that scene a bit differently now as well as how Nick himself felt after the press conference. Hoped you liked it! - Story Crusader**

 _ **P.S. If you can, please please tell me how I did in a review. I really want to publish only the best material. So, if there is something that you think could have made it better, I would like to know about it so I can work on it later. Thanks!**_


	2. The Case of the Silver Fox: Part 1

**Hey guys. StoryCrusader here.**

 **First off though, I will like to take a moment to talk about how I plan this story to go down. The story will not follow one case throughout the whole of it, rather there will be multiple cases that will be investigated and solved throughout the plot, but they will all be in chronological order and the story will flow from one to another. Basically, think of this as one of those crime drama tv shows where with each episode, there is a different case/mystery to solve. Now, does this mean that each chapter will be its own separate case? No. The story will be split into sections with each section having a particular case with a few chapters making up each section. That is the plan.**

 **And so enough talk. Lets get on with it!**

 **Enjoy**

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 **Section 1: The Case of the Silver Fox**

 **Chapter 1: Just Another Day As an Officer at the ZPD**

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The crime lord's inner circle waited for their tiger leader to speak as he paced back and forth in front of them in the dimly lit room. They were all nervous. They could see that their boss was angry, and when he was angry, anything could send him into a violent fit of rage. So, they kept their muzzles shut. They were however giving each other nervous glances because they were in fact nervous, well, all except one.

The fox just leaned against the wall in the shadow of the corner. He was calm. No emotion. Being an albino fox, his coat was silver colored. It made him appear like a ghost.

The silver fox's eyes looked as if he was blind, but he wasn't. They appeared absent of any pupils and had a grey film-like coating across them, making it near impossible for anyone to know where he was looking. He could be looking at you, and you wouldn't even know it.

The other members of the circle were afraid of their leader, but they were terrified of his second command. After all, there was a reason the silver haired fox was considered a living nightmare. He was cold and calculating, as sly and clever as foxes came, ruthless and just plain terrifying.

Unlike others in the circle, the fox did his own dirty work which is one of the reasons why the tiger had made him his second in command. If there was something the crime lord wanted to be sure got done, quickly and silently, the fox was the one he would rely on to carry out the job.

The fox was what nightmares were made of. A ghost in the night.

But, all thoughts about the fox ended when the tiger stopped pacing and hunched over a table in the middle of the room.

The predator hit the table with his fists.

"Everyone GET OUT!" He snarled.

The mammals didn't need to be told twice as they tried to exit the room as calmly but as quickly as possible, but soon, the room was empty, well almost empty.

The tiger noticed the fox moving from his position in the corner towards the door.

"You are the only one I trust to get the job done," the tiger told his second in command. He looked up at the fox. "Will you do it?"

He couldn't help but shiver as the fox responded in his cold and eerily high-pitched voice.

"Consider him dead."

The fox gave an evil chuckle as he noticed the slight shiver from his boss and left the room.

* * *

Judy woke up to someone pounding on her apartment door. The same someone that yelled at her through the door.

"Judy?! You home?"

Judy Hopps had an elephant sized headache, and did not feel like talking to anyone this morning, especially when it was her day off.

She raised her head from the pillow just enough to yell at the door.

"What do you want Nick?!"

The pounding on the door stopped.

"What do I want? I want to spend the day with my bestest widdle rabbit friend! That's what. Come on, Carrots. We planned this for over a week!"

Judy ears drooped as she buried her face in her pillow with a groan.

 _Was that today?_

Nick rocked back and forth upon the back of his feet outside his best friend's apartment, wondering what was taking her so long.

 _What could she be doing?_

The red-furred fox had just raised his paw to the door to knock some more when the door opened to a very tired and annoyed bunny.

Nick's eyes widened.

"Woah Carrots? I would say you are a sight for sore eyes but…err… are you feeling alright?"

Judy glared at the fox. Her fur was rough. Her ears drooped. Her deep purple eyes were bloodshot. It was obvious that the rabbit did _not_ feel alright, and Nick knew it but asked anyway.

Judy's expression softened slightly at her friend's concern.

"Sorry, Nick. Bucky and Pronk didn't stop arguing until three in the morning about the color _green_ of all things. _Green_."

Nick nodded with understanding but also with amusement.

"I see? Carrots, have you ever consider moving?" The fox teased.

Judy forced a grin.

"When don't I?"

She stepped aside to let her partner in before closing the door behind him, whilst stretching and letting out a yawn.

"Anyway, I think I am going to have to pass on that music festival for today, Nick," She said coming out of the yawn and with drooping eyelids.

It has been about a year since they had solved the Missing Mammal Case, and ever since then they had been spending a lot of free time together as well as at work since Nick Wilde was a cop now.

They had planned on spending their day off at the music festival that was being held in the convention center downtown with Gazelle headlining the event as well as other big names like Coldpaw and Elephanna Grande as well as some small-time bands like Bred, a little-known rock band for the rock enthusiasts. Bands from all over that have secured a place in the event.

"I don't think loud music is what my head needs right now," Judy groaned, massaging her forehead in the process.

 _I need a pain killer right now._

Nick gave a reassuring grin and wave.

"Say no more. I understand," he said. "If I had two loud obnoxious neighbors like them, I would be feeling the same way."

 _"_ _Hey, we heard that!"_

 _"_ _Yeah, what you have against us, eh?"_

The sly fox ignored the voices coming from the other side of the wall as well as Judy's annoyed look because of them and continued.

" _But!_ Here is what I propose. How about you take a pain killer, and then we will walk on down to that café around the corner, get you some breakfast, and then take a walk around the park, and if you feel better after that, we'll go to the festival, if not then we will find something else to do? Sound good, Fluff?"

Judy rolled her eyes at the word 'Fluff.' The fox made a convincing argument, but she would like nothing more than to sleep…

 _"_ _Wait a minute! 'Against us'? Against 'you' Pronk! You're always starting it!"_

 _"_ _Nuh uh!"_

 _"_ _Yes huh!"_

 _"_ _Shut up!"_

 _"_ _No you shut up!"_

On second thought, sleep was probably the very thing she will not get today, especially with neighbors like Pronk and Bucky.

A few minutes later and Nick and Judy were walking out of her apartment building and down the street. The red furred, green eyed fox wore his favorite green pawaiian shirt and his favorite tie with his usual khaki pants. Judy wore a purple button down shirt and jeans.

Usually, she would be skipping energetically down the street by the fox's side, but today she walked the walk as a very tired bunny, more awake now than earlier but still very asleep.

Judy had just let out a yawn when she noticed Nick watching her.

"What? Never seen a sleepy rabbit before?" She smirked.

The fox smiled.

"I have never seen _you_ this tired. In fact, I don't think I have ever seen you tired _at all_. You sure you're okay? Cause if you don't wake up soon I might have to carry you the rest of the way."

Judy's eyes widened slightly as an image of Nick carrying her into a café floated through her mind as well as the possible embarrassing scenarios that may come after it. No, she didn't want that.

"You, you don't have to do that! I can make it by myself," she quickly stammered.

Nick smirked.

"You sure? I can always ask a waitress at a certain café for a certain jug of iced water and pour it on a certain sleepy bunny instead?"

Judy's ears shot up as she looked at him with horror before they fell back when she narrowed her eyes at the mischievous fox.

"You wouldn't dare?!" She half questioned, half ordered.

Nick suddenly stopped and leaned down to her eye level with a smile.

"There's the Judy I know! And would I do that? Yes, yes I would if it got you to wake up, but seeing as you are now awake, no, no I will not. Unless you fall asleep at the table, then I won't be able to resist the opportunity."

The rabbit couldn't help but give the fox a grin as they started walking again.

"Some friend you are."

"You know you love me." Nick teased.

The rabbit elbowed him in the ribs, resulting in a satisfying grunt from the fox.

"Yep, I do, you sly fox."

"Dumb bunny," Nick responded rubbing the spot where she jabbed him.

Two hours later, Judy was glad that she agreed to Nick's proposal. They had had a nice breakfast at the café, where she had energized herself with several cups of coffee while they talked about work and joked around, the usual. By the time they had left, Judy's headache was nonexistent, and she was feeling much better, so much so that they could have gone to the music event, but they were having such a good time that they decided against it.

Instead, they ran by the police precinct to deliver the two tickets to two very excited individuals. They didn't get a reaction from Chief Bogo until they left his office, when they heard a curious shout for joy muffled by his door. Clawhauser on the other hand squealed for joy.

"OOOOOhoohoohooo! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! O M Goodness! How did you get tickets? They have been sold out for ages!"

Nick grinned.

"I know a guy," he replied.

Upon leaving the station, they ran into some of their friends, fellow officers of the ZPD and had a quick chat before they started towards the park to enjoy some of the beautiful weather, while it lasted. There were some dark clouds and thunder in the distance.

They were just about to cross the street over to the park when there was a loud shriek.

A young wolf was chasing after a leopard, who was quickly outrunning him and knocking into pedestrians as he went. The cat had a black bag locked in his paws. The shriek had come from a bystander who had been pushed over by the feline.

The wolf was a bit out of shape but was giving a valiant effort to catch the thief, all the while yelling for help.

"Stop him! Thief! He's got my laptop!"

Nick and Judy quickly looked at each other before taking off in unison after the leopard.

They raced past stores, apartments, and other businesses weaving in and out of the other animals who were coming from the opposite direction.

Judy was making more progress than Wilde since she was smaller and more agile, but the fox had kept up much as he could.

"Excuse me! Sorry! Coming through! ZPD!" The rabbit yelled as she beeped and bobbed through the mass of animals.

The leopard rounded the corner with a bag under his arm. Judy gave chase while Nick, tired of trying to run through the crowd of mammals, peeled off down a side street to try to cut him off.

"Stop! ZPD!" Judy bellowed as she closed the distance.

She bobbed and ducked around the mammals covering the sidewalk in front of her, all the while keeping her eyes focused on the back on the leopard target.

Her ears flopped behind her as she found she had a clear shot to the target and put on a burst of speed to further close the gap between her and the feline. She was about to leap upon the thief when Nick suddenly appeared out of nowhere, tackling the thief to the ground.

Judy nearly collided with the two.

She watched Nick proceed to handcuff the feline. She had to admit. Nick was getting pretty good at being a cop.

"You..." Nick panted.

The fox may have graduated from the police academy, but he was still not a very good endurance runner.

"…Are one fast cat," he wheezed out as he held the now handcuffed leopard with one paw while he clutched his side with the other, his green eyes to the sky.

Judy, who was breathing quite easily compared to the fox, smirked.

She put her paws on her hips, cocking them to the side in her usual stance, before teasing him.

"Nick, you feeling alright? You're looking _tired._ "

Nick rolled his eyes with a grin.

"Har, Har."

The leopard was complaining about abuse when the young brown-furred wolf ran up behind them only to bend over clutching his knees, panting heavily.

"Thank..you…office….cers," he said between breaths.

Judy picked up the black bag from the pavement and handed it to the wolf with a smile.

"I think this is yours."

The canine accepted it with a quick smile and a nod.

"Thanks."

"You're very welcome."

Judy beamed. Nothing made her happier than when she was doing her job.

The wolf gave another thankful smile before hurrying off down the street, probably trying to get inside before the rain. The dark clouds from earlier were now on top of them.

Judy gave a sigh. She loved her job.

"Just another day in the life of a ZPD officer, eh partner?" She asked looking up at her fox companion as they started quickly escorting the leopard to the station before the rain came.

Nick grinned and shook his head.

"No, no, no. You have to say it like this: 'Is this just another day in the life of a ZPD officer?'" He asked looking down at her, his grin getting wider with each second.

Taking the hint, Judy began to grin herself.

"Yes, yes it is!" They joked together.

Their laughter was cut short, however, by a piercing unmistakable popping sound coming from behind them that could only be one thing.

Nick and Judy locked eyes.

"Was that?!" Nick gasped, his heart racing.

Judy quickly nodded, already on the move towards the screaming.

"Gunshot! Call it in!" She yelled back, as the wind whipped up and the rain began to fall.

Lightning lit up the sky, followed by a loud clap of thunder.

The storm had arrived.

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 **Gunshots?! Uh oh. A mysterious silver fox. A crime lord. What are Nick and Judy getting themselves into?**

 **I hoped you liked it. It wasn't as long as I had hoped, but I thought the gunshot was a good spot to leave off, _for now_. So, stuff is happening. The plot is beginning to unfold. Who was being targeted by this silver fox? How will this case affect Nick and Judy's relationship? What will they learn about their own feelings for one another? All questions to be answered at a later time. I hoped this got you curious cause I am about to take you for a Wilde ride, or at least that's the plan.**

 **Remember to leave a review. I would like to know how I did as well as your thoughts on how to continue this story.**

 **Speaking of continuing the story, it may take me longer to get another chapter to you, so just a heads up.**

 **Until Next Time!**

 **StoryCrusader**


	3. The Case of the Silver Fox: Part 2

**Hey guys, StoryCrusader here.**

 **I like where this story is headed already. I have to admit I really liked writing this chapter, but enough chit chat, lets get on with it.**

 **Enjoy!**

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 **Section 1: The Case of the Silver Fox**

 **Chapter: Murder**

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"Judy! Wait!" The fox yelled over the thunder, but the rabbit was already gone, sprinting through the rain towards the direction of the gunshot.

Their normal day off had just descended into chaos.

Lightning lit up the angry sky as the wind threatened to blow even the largest of animals over.

Judy weaved in and out of the spooked mammals fleeing the scene., trying to keep from slipping on the now wet pavement. The rain and the thick clouds above made it difficult to see, but she could just make out the location of the gunshot, judging by the way people were avoiding it.

A gust of wind nearly knocked the already soaked rabbit to the ground, but she endured and pushed past the remaining fleeing animals towards an alley way that people were fleeing from.

Judy slid to a stop and hugged the wall before slowly peaking her head into the alley. It was dark, too dark to make anything out.

There was a flash of lightning, and Judy saw everything clearly for a split second. She stared in horror at the crumpled form of a what appeared to be a wolf. Blood was being diluted by the rain as it was rinsed off the body of the animal.

Judy ran up to the canine hoping for a pulse as she put a paw to the wolf's neck. Nothing. He was dead. She quickly removed her paw, trembling a little. This was her first murder scene and her first time touching a dead animal. She shook away her panic and searched the darkness for any sign of life.

Another flash of lightning ripped open the sky. Her ear twitched at a slight rustling sound from the back of the alley. Judy caught movement in the corner of her eye in the same direction. She managed to catch a quick glimpse of a whitish furred animal disappearing around a corner. A fox? She instinctively reached for her gun only to grasp air. Her heart pounded, realizing how ill-prepared and vulnerable she was.

She glanced nervously back towards the street, then back to the corner. Her gut told her to wait for backup, but she ignored it and sprinted after whoever it was she had seen. When she ran around the corner, she gasped. It was a dead end.

"How? Wher… where did he go?!" Judy whispered to herself, suddenly having a chill go down her spine. There was no doors, no fire escapes to be climbed, no holes in the ground, just no exit! She saw someone go this way, yet she wasn't so sure anymore. The weather made it even more eerie. She had a sudden wish to leave. Had she seen a ghost? No, she didn't believe in ghosts. But, she had seen _something_ , didn't she?

Just then, she heard footsteps behind her, her eyes widening, terror on her face, as her ears picked up a heartbeat. No, the shooter was flesh and blood, this proved it! She clenched her fist and whirled about to face her attacker, only to have her eyes widen with shock.

* * *

 _Why can't she wait for backup?_

The fox splashed through another puddle as another car honked at him to get out of the way. He had lost sight of his partner. He was making his way toward where he had seen her last. He had left the leopard handcuffed to a lamppost, much to the protest of the leopard, and then had hastily began crossing the street after Judy.

 _Is it so hard to wait for your own partner and friend? 'Oh look, I'm Judy, the first bunny officer of Zootopia. I can take care of myself. I don't need back up. What do I care if I get hurt or…or killed…?'_

Nick gulped at the thought.

Was he worried? Yes. She was his partner as well as his best friend, and so when she went running headlong into possible danger like this, he was always worried about what would happen to her.

If anything bad happened to her, it would be her fault for recklessly charging in, and Nick knew that. But, Nick would be beside himself with guilt regardless. He felt personally responsible for his partner's wellbeing, not that he will ever tell her that or anyone that.

If anything happened to that rabbit…well, that's not important right now. Right now, he had to find his partner.

Nick finally reached the alleyway he had seen Judy run into. He drew his gun, something Nick knew his rabbit friend didn't have at the moment. The fox held it out in front of him as he entered the darkness of the alley.

" _Carrots?"_ He hissed.

Being a nocturnal animal, Nick could see perfectly in the dim light. He saw the trash littering the ground and gave a start at first when he noticed the blood on the ground, fearing it was his partner's, but then he noticed the body by the dumpster.

He knelt down to feel for a pulse, and finding none, he moved on.

At the back of the alley Nick saw the passage cut off to the right. The alley smelled of rotten food and trash, and in fact, several rotting trash bags lined the walls of the passage. The smell made it hard for Nick to track Judy's scent, but he could tell that she had rounded the corner up ahead.

The fox's heart raced as he padded silently towards the turn, a little afraid of what he will find around it. As he neared closer and closer to it, he half expected someone to jump out at him with a gun, and was just about to turn the corner when…

"Ufff!"

The punch to the muzzle sent Nick falling back into a puddle of water. The fox looked up to see a shocked rabbit, paws covering her mouth. Well, multiple rabbits from his perspective. But, hey, who's counting?

" _Oh_ , I'm _so_ sorry! Nick, you scared me half to death!"

Judy quickly sprang to help the dazed fox get up, relieved to see her partner after what she just saw, apologizing profusely for punching him in the nose.

Nick touched his snout gingerly, wincing with each touch.

"I gotta say, Carrots," he began, blinking and shaking his head from the dizziness he now suffered from. "I don't know why I was so worried. You can take care of yourself _just_ fine."

Nick swore as he touched a spot on his nose that was significantly more painful than the others.

" _Sweet mother of a mammal_ , you can punch!"

Judy couldn't help a nervous laugh and smile, gingerly touching her partner's arm apologetically. Her face filled with concern.

"Haha…ehh… Sorry?"

The fox bended over, still clutching his nose, but waved his paw as if to say 'It's alright.' Removing his paw from his snout and blinking a few times before shaking his head, Nick turned to the rabbit with a sniff.

"Woah. Well, I am going to feel that later. Anyway, I'm fine. You alright? You had me worried there for a sec. I didn't know where you went."

Judy intently looked at her partner before relaxing a bit, convinced that he was in fact okay. She nodded.

"Yeah, but I can't say the same for him," she said, an uneasiness written upon her face. She cocked her head toward the body. "The shooter made a quick exit. I caught a glimpse, but he was gone before I could get a better look."

"What did he look like?"

"White and, uh, tall-ish? I don't know. I didn't get a good look at him."

Nick took note of Judy's facial expression, which told him that something was going on in that lapin brain of hers. Was there something she wasn't telling him?

* * *

Nick and Judy knelt down near the body. The storm had let up a little, and the clouds had parted slightly, allowing them to better view what lay before them.

She shuddered as she examined the brown wolf more closely.

He had been shot from close range directly to the heart. He never stood a chance. One shot. The shooter must have been confident in his shot, usually there were multiple gunshot wounds. Of course, what did she know? This was her first homicide scene. She glanced back towards the back of the alley.

Maybe it had been her imagination. The lapin redirected her attention to the fatal wound of the wolf.

 _No, I am sure I saw something_.

Nick was taking this more easily than the rabbit. The fact that they had been in the vicinity of a murder, or even that they were examining a _dead_ body for that matter, didn't seem to affect him. He nudged the body a little to get a better look at the mammal's face. The fox froze.

"Carrots?"

The rabbit looked at the fox but then at what he was staring at. Her eyes widened.

"Is he—?"

"The same wolf with the black bag and laptop from earlier?" Nick completed Judy's question, eyes locking with hers before answering.

"Yes… he is, except he is missing his bag and laptop."

* * *

Chief Bogo ducked beneath the yellow tape surrounding the crime scene. He had been interrupted from his lunch when he got the call that a shooting had taken place. At first when he got that, he was immediately concerned about Wilde's partner, Hopps, and feared that she would be the one shot. Fortunately, that wasn't the case, but the bull knew all too well how determined and stubborn the rabbit could be when she was doing her job. She had been known to go in alone before, and today was no exception.

The rain had become a light drizzle with the sky looking much less threatening than earlier.

The bull's eyes searched around the crime scene for the two officers he sought. Finding them along the outskirts, Bogo approached them.

Judy was pacing back and forth, wringing her hands. She didn't even notice the chief had calling her name.

Bogo, who was a bit confused by the rabbits behavior, caught Wilde's eye, whose look told the chief all he needed to know. That was when Bogo realized: this was the rabbit's first murder scene. Nick nudged the pacing lapin and nodded his head at Bogo.

Judy stopped and took notice of the police chief for the first time. She snapped to attention.

"Chief Bogo, Sir!"

Bogo sighed.

"First off, Hopps, what have I told you about going in alone? There is a reason you have a partner, use him."

Judy shifted a bit uncomfortably as the chief's words sank in.

"Yes, sir. It won't happen again, sir."

The bull sighed, inwardly rolling his eyes. That is what she said the last time.

He looked over at the white sheet covering the victim. He remembered his first time.

The chief cleared his throat.

"Now, Judy? I heard something about how you saw someone leaving the scene?"

The rabbit nodded.

"When I was checking for a pulse on the… um, him?"

She pointed at the white sheet.

"I caught a glimpse of this white-ish furred creature, looked almost like a fox. I guess you can say _silver_ colored. They disappeared around the corner, and… uh, I pursued them, but…"

The rabbit trailed off. She didn't quite like where she was going with the explanation, but she knew it was inevitable.

The bull raised an eyebrow.

"But?"

Judy shifted her feet.

"But, um, they kind of just…vanished, sir."

Bogo raised the other eyebrow

"Vanished?"

He looked at Wilde, who looked equally confused.

Catching Bogo's eye, the fox quickly remarked,

"Hey, don't look at me. This is the first time I am hearing about the _vanishing_ part."

The chief looked back at Judy.

"Hopps? What _exactly_ do you mean by _'_ _vanished'_? You mean they escaped?"

Judy's purple eyes flickered from Bogo to Nick, a heat beginning to rise in her gut. She knew where this was leading, and she didn't like it.

The rabbit was unable to hold her tongue any longer, and blushed

"You guys are going to think I'm crazy, but I… Ugh. It's better that I just show you."

Bogo looked at Nick, who in turn shrugged and followed his partner.

The rabbit marched off, a bit flustered and embarrassed about having to explain herself like this. The other cops began to gain interest as the rabbit led the chief and her partner to the back of the alley, making Judy feel that much more uncomfortable. She shivered slightly, as she passed by the white sheet, remembering what lay under it. She felt the eyes of everyone on her back as she pointed to where she had seen the 'silver haired fox.'

"I glimpsed someone just before they went out of view going this way."

She traced the path with her paw.

"I ran after them only to find a dead end!"

She motioned to the dead ended alley with her hands.

"There was no one to be seen!"

Bogo started to look at Judy in a way that she didn't like.

"So this silver fox? Just vanished?" The chief questioned.

Judy began to blush.

"I don't know how to explain it, but I am not crazy," she insisted. "I saw _something._ "

She looked to her partner for support only to find the fox looking about the space.

"Nick? You believe me, right? _Nick?_ "

Nick wanted to, but what he observed about the dead end alleyway convinced him otherwise no matter how much he wanted to believe his friend. There were no doors, no windows, no manhole covers, no grates in the ground, just no exit.

"Carrots, there is nowhere they could have gone. You sure you didn't imagine it?" The fox suggested, a bit of worry in his face.

Judy gaped at her friend. She could hardly believe what she was hearing. She was _not_ crazy. She _saw_ something. Her ears lowered.

"I am not crazy," she whispered. She wanted them to believe it, but she didn't even believe it wholly herself. Tears started to come to her eyes, and she didn't know why.

Bogo, stepped towards the rabbit with concern written on his face.

"No one said you were. You are just a little stressed out. This was your first time discovering a murder scene. Sometimes it can mess with your head. You can have an extra day off from work. You too Wilde. Go home and get some rest, both of you," the police chief began to turn away, only to turn back and place a hoof on Judy's shoulder. "I will look into the case. Don't let it get to your conscience, Judy. That's when you start fighting a lost battle. Go home and get some rest."

With a quick look of compassion, the bull turned and left Nick and Judy alone.

Judy was impressed by the bull's advice. Bogo could be very inspirational and moving at times. Maybe, Nick's right. Maybe she did just imagine it after all.

Judy lowered her eyes to the ground.

She looked up with a sniffle when she felt a paw rest on her shoulder. It was Nick, and Judy had to admit he looked tired. His fur was matted. His shirt was stained. His tie looser than normal. Judy assumed she looked just as bad.

Judy didn't know why she was acting like this. She didn't understand why she was getting this emotional. She thought back to what Bogo said about a murder scene messing with your head. That was probably it. Why was this so important to her? She felt silly.

She smiled weakly.

"Sorry, I'm just being a dumb bunny. Am I?"

The fox grinned and put an arm around her, pulling her close as he began guiding her toward the street. "You bunnies. So emotional. Come on, Carrots. I will walk you home."

Judy rested her head against Nick's side, since she wasn't quite tall enough to rest it on his shoulder. She was still confused about what she saw. She was sure she saw _something_ , but was it just her imagination and her mind playing tricks on her after what she had seen? She wasn't sure. She was too tired to think about it. She could hardly believe that the day was ending. It all happened so fast. She knew one thing though.

Judy snuggled happily in the fox's warm embrace as they walked along the sidewalk toward her apartment.

She was glad she had a friend who cares like Nick.

* * *

Nick couldn't get to sleep. As he lay there in his bed, looking at the ceiling of his apartment, his mind pondered over the events of the past day. Something bothered him. He had missed something at the crime scene, or had he forgotten about something in his past that could somehow help him understand what went on today.

He thought about Judy. He thought about what had been bothering her. Did she see something? If so, how was this 'silver fox' able to disappear?...

There it is. That's what was troubling him. Something about being able to vanish… That's it!

The fox bolted up in his bed and practically jumped out of his bed. He knew how Judy's silver haired fox had disappeared. Nick grinned at his own slyness. How could he have forgotten about that? It had been there staring right in front of him.

Judy was not crazy, and Nick had been wrong to ever doubt her. He grabbed his phone and keys and headed out the door, locking it behind him. He knew. Of course, he did, but he had to make sure he was right. The fox already knew he was, but he had to make sure, for Judy's sake.

He will prove that Judy was not imagining things after all, but that there was a perfectly rational explanation as to how the mysterious fox, the murder, the silver fox, had vanished into thin air. It took a sly fox to figure out how that fox had done it, and Nick was that fox.

He chuckled. Judy was going to love this.

* * *

 **So that was that, Chapter 2 of _A Wilde Life of a Fox and Rabbit._ Something foul is afoot. Judy struggles with her emotions. Is she falling in love with Nick? Will Nick recover from what should have been a broken nose? Well, yes to that last one, but stay tuned to find out what will happen next. Just how did the murderer disappear?**

 **Until Next Time!**

 **StoryCrusader**

 _ **P.S. Please leave a review. I will like to know how I did and what I need to either change or improve on. I will very much appreciate it. Thanks!**_


	4. The Case of the Silver Fox: Part 3

**Hey you guys, SroryCrusader here. So, this chapter took a little longer than anticipated to write due to my busy schedule at school, but I finally got it done. It may have some proofing errors, but I figured I kept you guys waiting for long enough. So, I hope you like it.**

 **Enjoy**

* * *

 **Section 1: The Case of the Silver Fox**

 **Chapter 3: Sweet Dreams**

Flitch "Dead Eye" Slyton, or more commonly known as 'Specter' by the underground community and still by others as the 'silver fox,' had been sloppy. He had tracked the wolf down and had followed him from his apartment, intent on learning his daily routine in order to pin point the exact time and place where he could take him. However, the silver haired fox had been forced to improvise when he noticed where the mammal was going. Flitch had just been thinking that he would have had to have done the deed in the middle of the street, something that had less than enthused the fox, when his target's bag had been stolen. Fortunately for the fox, all he had to do was corner him, which is exactly what he did. But, when he had secured the bag and made his exit, the fox had been spotted by that little rabbit cop before he could disappear without a trace. He didn't mind much, though.

The fox turned a corner and continued to walk down the empty streets of eastside Zootopia in the moonlight, a black bag hanging from his shoulder. He felt the weight of the gun in his pocket. As he came to the top of a bridge, he deftly tossed it into the water below. Nothing should connect him to the shooting, and if there was, he would simply disappear like he always did.

The fox was getting tired about operating in the shadows. He didn't mind that he had been spotted as long as he would be whispered about around the campfires as the mysterious cold killer of Zootopia, the fox was fine with it. The rabbit had only glimpsed him, which wasn't bad, but could potentially lead the cops to his employer. Why should Flitch care? His boss trusted him, but that didn't mean that the fox had to be trustworthy or loyal. In fact, he almost wished that the ZPD would connect Benjamin to the murder.

The silver fox gave a disturbing grin, that made a passing antelope stray to the far side of the sidewalk.

 _Let them try to catch me._

* * *

Judy was startled awake by a strange sound. It was dark in her apartment. She could barely see as she sat up in her bed. All was quite besides the sound.

It had taken her a while to get to sleep after she and Nick got back to her apartment. It had seemed like ages for them to get back. She had been tired and was still very disturbed by what had transpired that day, though she took great comfort from Nick, who seemed to not be bothered by what happened. Key word is 'seemed.' No one could know what really went through the mind of that fox. Years of hustling had made him skilled at hiding his emotions and intentions, but every now and then Judy could pick out certain clues about his appearance and actions that hinted at his thoughts and the emotions he kept secret. As they had been walking back, Judy had noticed him deep in thought, about what no one knew, but the rabbit had assumed it had been about the shooting.

Judy listened to the darkness, waiting for the sound to come again. She could just make out the rest of what little furniture she had. Moonlight shown through the blinds to her window, creating an eerie glow about the room. Her ears twitched at the sound. There is was again. What was it? It sounded like muffled whisper. Coming from the door?

The rabbit slipped out of her bed, her feet quietly hitting the floor. Her heart raced was she heard a slight clicking noise, almost like someone was picking the lock on her door.

She padded silently to the door, stretching out her arm to the knob. She heard her heart beat pound in her ears. Her paws felt clammy as she reached for the door with dread. She didn't want to open it, but she had to. Grabbing the knob, she threw open the door.

She fell back with a scream. Blood! There before her lay the brown coated wolf covered in blood. There was a strong steady force threatening to keep her away from trying to help. Judy fought against it and crawled over to him, trying to get a response.

She knew he was dead, but she tried to revive him anyway. She still could save him. Lightning flashed. She was back in the alleyway. Looking up, she saw a silver furred fox, dressed in all black, staring at her with cold dead eyes. The embodiment of pure evil and fear.

He vanished around the corner.

The rain fell in torrents, and the thunder boomed.

 _"_ _Judy!"_

The shout had come from the wolf. Judy looked down, only to find that the wolf was not a wolf anymore. A red-furred fox stared lifelessly into the sky.

 _Nick!_

She shook her dead friend's body, trying to get a response. She suddenly felt another presence. She looked up to find the dead eyes of the silver fox staring at her, throwing her backwards into darkness. She screamed.

 _"_ _Judy!"_

Nick?

 _"_ _Judy! Wake up!"_

Judy's eyes snapped open as she bolted upright in bed, only to find herself staring at the deep green concerned eyes of her best friend.

It had been a nightmare.

"Judy! You okay?" Nick asked the sweat soaked trembling rabbit, worry in his voice. "It was only a dream."

The fox pulled her into a hug. The rabbit was panting heavily, her heart beginning to slow. The rabbit hugged him back, trying to fight back the tears.

"Oh, Nick!" She whimpered, bearing her face into his chest. "It was horrible. The wolf. The…the storm. And the, the fo—"

Nick cut her off, patting her back and rocking her back and forth.

"It's alright. I'm here. Must have been some dream you had? I have never seen you this shook up, _ever_!"

Judy tried to respond, but Nick shushed her gently, still rocking her back and forth.

"We can talk about it later. Just calm down now, Carrots. Calm down. Breathe. Nice and easy. That's it. There's a good bunny."

He was relieved when he felt the tension start to leave her body and the shuddering came to a stop.

Nick looked down at the rabbit in his arms as he continued to rock back and forth in Judy's bed, Judy still buried in his chest. There was no doubt in the fox's mind that the dream had been about the alley and the dead wolf. Knowing Judy, he guessed that she felt responsible in some way, probably because they had been so close to where the murder took place and the fact that they had just got done talking with the same brown wolf just a few minutes before his murder. Judy probably felt like she could have done something to prevent it. Nick hadn't been affected by the incident as bad as Judy. He had lived a rough life, knew how hard life can be, and so he didn't feel responsible because he knew that it wasn't his fault and that the moment you start to blame yourself for something like that is the moment you start fighting a lost battle, to quote what Bogo said.

Nick waited until Judy's breathing had slowed back down to normal and the sniffling had almost stopped.

"You alright, Carrots?" Nick asked releasing his hold on his rabbit friend.

Judy sat back in her bed and nodded, wiping her eyes with a final sniffle.

"Yeah. Thanks, Nick."

The fox smiled.

"You bunnies, so emotional. You don't need to tell me about the dream. I kind of already have an idea of what it is about."

Judy forced a grin in acknowledgment, before noticing the door a little off kilter, the lock busted.

Nick saw where she was looking.

The fox rubbed a paw on the back of his neck, avoiding eye contact. Judy stared at it for a moment.

"What happened? Did you…," the rabbit started, a bit impressed at the force that the fox must have used to break it open.

Nick gave a nervous grin.

"Yeah, I may or may not have broke it. I heard you screaming, and I uh… yeah. You were screaming… Let's just say that I was not going to stand by while my favorite bunny got mauled in her sleep."

The fox gave a nervous chuckle.

Judy blushed slightly, a little embarrassed that the she had caused the fox all the trouble.

"It's fine. I'll get it fixed in the morning. Why were you over here anyway? It's… what time is it… four in the morning?"

"Oh yeah! About that."

Nick suddenly had a small burst of energy, excitement in his eyes and a smile spreading across his muzzle. He stood up and began to explain.

"I had a revelation earlier. I wanted to show you. Come on! Get dressed. I'll show you."

The rabbit just looked at the fox, puzzled.

"Nick? What are you talking about?"

The fox rolled his eyes.

"Come on, you dumb bunny. I need to show you something," Nick said, pulling Judy out of bed and into motion.

"I will explain when we get there, but this might help put your mind at rest. Come on, Carrots! Get dressed. I'll wait outside."

A few minutes earlier, they were walking down the street in the chill of the early morning. Judy looked up at her fox friend. Nick seemed unusually energetic. There was a spring in his step. His eyes glowed with excitement at what he discovered. Judy herself was now quite curious about the source of her partner's excitement, her nightmare now forgotten.

She followed her friend in silence for a few blocks until curiosity got the better of her.

"Okay, what's up? Where are we going, Nick?"

Nick gave her a sly glance.

"You'll see. Patience, Carrots. We're almost there."

Judy then began to take note of her surroundings. She noticed the park across the street and realized.

"Nick? Are we going back to the crime scene?"

The fox grinned.

"As a matter of fact, we are, Carrots."

Judy gave him a questioning glance.

"Why?"

"You'll see."

They came to the familiar alley. It was dark and foreboding, making Judy feel uneasy as she started to remember details about the previous day, but Nick, sensing what she was thinking, distracted her by nudging her with a flashlight he had brought. Judy snapped out of her thoughts and accepted the offer.

Nick clicked on his flashlight and walked into the darkness with Judy following suit.

"Nick, what are we doing here? There isn't anything to see, unless you want to show me rotten food and…"

She picked up an abandoned magazine, and after looking at the front cover, quickly tossed it away with disgust.

"… _really_ bad reading content. Nick?"

"I hear you, Carrots. Just come stand here."

The fox motioned her to stand where he was standing, which Judy noticed was the same spot where the body had been.

"Nick, what are you up to?"

Nick grinned.

"You'll see, or actually, maybe you won't."

Judy gave a look of confusion.

"Okay, Slick Nick. What's going on? Explain yourself. Why did you drag me back here?"

Nick jogged to the back of the alley and turned around with a smile.

"When you see me go behind this corner, run after me. Got it?"

Judy raised an eyebrow.

"Nick? Does this have something to do with what I thought I saw? It was a figment of my imagination! I know that now. What are you up to?"

Nick rolled his eyes.

"Carrots. Are you going to trust me or what? Come on. Do what I said, okay? Ready? Here I go."

With that the fox disappeared from view around the corner.

Judy, a bit confused, ran after him like he said.

The only thing was, when she rounded the turn, Nick was nowhere to be seen.

The rabbit glanced around with a surprised look on her face.

"What the? Nick? Where…? How…? Nick?"

The fox had vanished, just like the mammal she thought she saw yesterday. Where did he go?

"Carrots!"

Judy jumped with a yelp as she turned to see her partner standing behind her, somehow.

"Nick! How did you? I saw you? _How?_ "

The rabbit eyes widened, realizing what this meant.

"Did you just prove that I really _did_ see something? You _sly fox!_ How did you do it?"

Nick raised a paw with a grin.

"Well, if you will hold your questions and applause until after, I will tell you."

"Do it."

The fox walked over to the wall behind Judy and pushed on a brick. To Judy's amazement, a portion of the brick pavement and bottom of the wall fell away to reveal a hidden tunnel running under the building.

Judy gaped at the hole, eyes wide with excitement and amazement, much to Nick's amusement and pride.

"Nick! How did you find it? How did you know? Where does it go?"

Nick beamed with pride.

"It leads to a network of tunnels beneath the city. Most of the older buildings in the area have these secret entrances hidden in their architecture and basements and such," the fox said matter-of-factly.

"They were used by smugglers, pirates, and others during the 18th century and before. Not many people know about them since many of them have been closed off or filled in or collapsed for that matter. They are still used sometimes by shifty criminal characters of today. I myself used them a while back during my youth. I got to say, Carrots, I nearly forgot about them until last night."

Nick grinned at Judy's smile as she started hopping about with joy.

She jumped in the air with a shout.

"I knew I wasn't crazy! I really did see something," Judy froze, excitement in her eyes. "Which means, I probably saw the killer. Which means, we might know what he looks like and can describe him and can put it in the report!"

Judy turned to Nick, her eyes full of the usual determination and glow, which means she was eager to solve the case.

"We need to tell Bogo! Come on!"

The rabbit started to run out of the alley, only to realize that her partner wasn't following.

"Nick, what are you waiting for? Let's go!"

Nick smiled slyly at the rabbit.

"You could take the long way, but I happened to have done a bit of exploring earlier in the night and just so happen to know a quicker way to the police precinct."

The fox's eyes glanced down into the hole and back at Judy.

"What do you say?"

Judy grinned at her partner.

"Sly fox."

Nick grinned, stepping aside and bowing, motioning for her to go first.

"Dumb bunny."

* * *

 **So, I hope you liked it.**

 **Why did Judy dream of Nick getting killed? Interesting thought: does she subconsciously have feelings for him? Maybe, maybe not. We'll see. Even I don't know what's going to happen yet. Well, that's not completely true. I got plans, but anyway, that explains how the fox disappeared. Hoped you enjoyed it.**

 **Don't worry. The action is coming. It is just around the corner, maybe literally?**

 **Thanks for reading! Don't forget to leave a review and set an alert for more.**

 _ **P.S. I might go back and edit a few little things in the previous chapters. Maybe even add a few more jokes to lighten the mood? We'll see. Thanks again!**_


	5. The Case of the Silver Fox: Part 4

**Hey guys, StoryCrusader here. I just got done watching 'Zootopia' again. I got to tell ya, that movie never gets old to me. In fact, I may just have another idea for a story, but that will have to wait. I got this one to write. Anyways, I got done writing the next chapter. Here it is.**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

 **Section 1: The Case of the Silver Fox**

 **Chapter 4: Friends Indeed**

* * *

The tiger crime lord, Benjamin Bengal, was one of the little-known crime bosses, but amongst the underground of the crime world, he was one of the most feared due to his silent but violent tactics. The irony in this is that the tiger had a temper which manifested into violent spontaneous actions. One may think that his temper will lead him to be more outgoing in his crimes, but despite his temper he made rational and intelligent decisions. He preferred to keep a low profile in all his criminal dealings while appearing to operate a shipping business. His business, Bengal Shipping, was just a front, a façade, for his profitable smuggling and arms-dealing ring.

It was obvious that he did not want any loose ends or anyone snooping around his business affairs, which is why he tried to keep his shipping business to appear average, to not gain any attention. However, it did manage to attract the attention of a certain wolf employee of the shipping company. The wolf had been too curious and had seen too much to be kept alive.

Ben, 'Big Ben' as he was called, had been waiting all night for his second in command return, not that he had any doubts about the fox's ability to kill. He would be a fool to deny that the fox was a very capable killer with any weapon you placed into his paws, even with _no_ weapon. The fox had proven to the tiger last year that even without a weapon he could take down prey three times his size. No one knew the limit to the silver fox's ability. All the fox had done throughout the years the crime boss had known him was perform and succeed. That is why the tiger liked him. The fox had never let him down. In fact, one may argue that it was the fox that made people so afraid of Big Ben. The mere fact that the fox worked for him was enough to intimidate the competition.

The tiger paced in his study, in his favorite black rode. The study was well kept. He owned a wide selection of literature. Reading was one of the ways the tiger kept his anger in check. It was like a medicine that soothed him and gave him focus.

The tiger, starting to get frustrated at his fox friend's tardiness, glanced at the ornate door to his study, expecting the silver mammal to walk in at any moment. The tiger snarled and resumed his pacing.

 _Where was he?_

The fox was known to take his time, and the tiger respected that, since it took time to cover your tracks. However, the tiger couldn't help but think that the fox was getting too old and may have gotten careless with his act of murder. He didn't like the idea. The fox was clever and _always_ careful and precise. The only reason that he would slip up would be…

The tiger froze. Could the fox be getting tired of his work? What if the fox had decided to be more reckless this time to change up routine? It wouldn't be beyond the fox to try to have fun with murder by practically daring the police to catch him.

The tiger shook away the thought. He didn't want to think that. That would mean that the fox was not very serious about his employment, and it was dangerous for everyone when the silver fox went solo. And if the fox went solo, the tiger would be forced to try and kill him, if Specter didn't kill him first.

He heard the door open and looked up to see the silver fox standing in its frame.

"Ah, Flitch! Come in. Is it done?"

Flitch gave a nasty grin.

"What do you think?"

* * *

Judy blinked as she shown a light down the dusty old tunnel. It was centuries old and looked like it would cave in at any moment. It sloped steeply down and to the left. Although the tunnel's walls seemed old and fragile and looked as if someone had not been down here in ages, there were signs that the tunnel was still being used. Judy saw that relatively new metal poles were positioned along the walls to help the old wooden beams and cobblestone walls support the cavity against the weight of the buildings and world above.

Judy's thoughts were interrupted by a slight rattling and clicking behind her. She turned to see Nick pulling on a chain which seemed to hoist the hidden doors back to their deceiving positions with a click.

Nick turned with a grin after wiping the dust off his paws.

"So, shall we continue?"

Judy grinned.

"Ready when you are."

The rabbit stepped aside and motioned Nick to pass.

"Lead the way."

The fox pointed his flashlight down the tunnel and started to descend the spiral into the earth. Judy was surprised how deep it went before it leveled off.

"How deep does this go?" The curious rabbit questioned the fox in front of her.

Nick looked back over his shoulder, not stopping.

"I'm not really sure. Pretty deep. There are sections of this network that may even go past the Nocturnal District level."

Judy's eyes widened a bit. She had almost forgotten about the infamous underground district of the city. She wasn't surprised. It was never talked about it. No one had been down to the subterranean district in decades. The only ones said to live there still were bats. No one saw them. Many were not even sure what they looked like. Judy herself had never seen one. She had seen pictures, but no picture Judy knew had showed her anything other than a leathery wing, No body. No face. Just a leathery wing. Certainly mysterious. The subterranean district was closed to the public after portions of the tunnel entrance to it had started to crumble and collapse before collapsing almost entirely. There had been efforts to reopen the district to the outside world, but it proved futile. Some say there were other entrances, other ways to get down and out…

"Hey, Nick?"

"Hmm."

"Do you think that these tunnels might connect to the Nocturnal District?"

The fox stopped for a second to ponder the thought.

"Well, who knows? Maybe. We aren't going to try to find out today, if that was what you were going for, Carrots."

They continued to walk through the maze of tunnels.

"No, just curious."

Judy suddenly had a thought.

"Hey, Nick?"

"Yes, my talkative bunny?"

"Watch it. Do you believe what they say about bats? That they drink blood and all?"

Nick shuddered. The thought of someone drinking him dry while he slept was not a comforting thought.

"Uh, I never seen a bat. I don't know if anyone has in a while, so… I don't know, Carrots. Maybe blood-drinking bats do exist. Maybe they don't."

Nick had glanced back while he said that and saw the anxious rabbit looking warily over her shoulder.

"Hey, Judy, don't worry about it. I'm sure what they say isn't true, just made up for funzies. You alright? You are getting pretty jumpy."

Judy rubbed her arm. She thought she heard something, but it probably was nothing.

"I thought I heard something behind us."

The fox listened intently to the silence… Nothing.

"I don't hear anything."

Judy nodded in agreement

"It was probably just my imagination."

They continued to walk when this time Judy's ear flicked back and she grabbed Nick's arm.

"Nick? I _know_ I heard something that time."

Nick still hadn't heard anything. He had been down there alone earlier and hadn't seen or heard anything, and he still didn't. However, Judy was making the fox anxious.

"Really, Carrots? You're messing with me, aren't you? Well, it's not funny… Carrots? You _are_ joking, right?"

Judy was about to respond when there was a distinct high pitched shrieking sound coming up from the bottom levels of the tunnels judging from the way it sounded.

Nick and Judy looked at each other.

"Hear that?" Judy asked her heart racing, suddenly wishing she was somewhere else.

Nick stood wide eyed, before quickly answering.

"Yeah, I heard that. Say, Carrots? How about we get out of here as fast as possible? Uh, I don't want to be vampire food."

Judy started to run.

"I thought you would never ask."

With that, the duo ran the rest of the way to the exit.

* * *

Bogo was sitting in his office, sifting through the file of the recent murder. Everything pointed to your typical instantaneous robbery gone wrong. He still needed to investigate further, but there was a good chance that this case would never be solved. There were no witnesses, excluding what Hopps thought she saw. There was no surveillance footage of the alley, which means he had no suspects so far that he could pursue. He had already notified the family, and they had said that they didn't know anything that could help. The case was quickly going cold. The only thing that he could do was wait until this wolf's laptop resurfaced as well as wait for the ballistics report to be given to him. The medical examiner had found nothing out of the ordinary, just a single shot to the heart. A bullet had been found at the crime scene, but no weapon.

The buffalo leaned back with a sigh and looked at the clock on the wall. It was almost time for him to head down to the bullpen to pass out the daily assignments.

He was just about to get up when Clawhauser's voice pierced the silence.

"Bogo, sir? Hopps and Wilde are here to see you."

Now? He thought he had told them to have the day off. He gave a sigh. Of course, you could not keep Judy from work for too long, and where she went Wilde went. The two were inseparable. Bogo wondered sometimes if they would ever become a couple, seeing the way they acted around each other.

He punched the button.

"Send them up."

A few minutes later, the buffalo was alternating glances between Judy and Nick. Then he spoke.

"So let me get this clear. You are saying that there is an entrance to some hidden tunnel system at the scene of the crime and that you, Hopps, could, in fact, have seen the perpetrator. This white-haired—"

"Silver." Judy corrected.

"— _Silver_ -haired… fox? You said? Do you know how that sounds?"

Judy massaged her temples with a sigh.

"I know, but it is the truth. You got to believe us, sir. That is how the shooter got away."

The buffalo closed his eyes, massaging his own temples. Coming to a conclusion, he opened them.

"Okay, fine. Hopps. Wilde. You can take over the case, _but_ I insist you take the rest of the day off. You both had just witnessed your first murder scene. I don't need two of my best cops stressing themselves out after what they saw. Understand? Okay, you're dismissed. And Hopps, I'm serious about you getting some rest."

Judy hopped down out of the chair that she and Nick had been sharing.

"Yes, sir." She beamed.

"I will. I _promise_ I won't start until tomorrow." She added after Bogo gave her a look.

Nick closed the door behind them as they began making their way downstairs.

Nick had a smile on his face as he watched the energetic bunny skipping beside him.

"You aren't going to wait until tomorrow are you?"

Judy grinned.

"Nope."

"Well then. I think I know where to start inquiring about your imaginary silver fox."

Judy stopped and turned to him.

"Really? Where?"

Nick gave her a sly look.

"I know a guy. But if you want to go home and take the rest of the day off, I understand."

Judy glanced back at Bogo before nudging her fox friend in the stomach with a grin.

"I am not going to sit around all day when a killer is on the loose. I'm going," she whispered.

Nick rubbed his stomach.

"Fine, then you're buying. Deal?"

Judy looked at him.

"You are trying to hustle me, aren't you?"

Nick put a paw to his heart and pretended he was hurt by her comment.

"Carrots! Now, would I do such a thing as trick you into buying lunch?"

Judy grinned .

"Yes. Yes, you would. But sure, I'll buy, _this time_. Next time, it is coming from your wallet."

Nick grinned.

"But what if I forget my wallet."

Judy couldn't help but smile.

"Oh ho! No, you don't. You won't be able to pull that trick on me ever again, you _sly_ fox! I won't let you."

Nick grinned.

"Sure you won't, dumb bunny. You may have hustled me once or twice, but I have played this game far longer than you have. Anyways, come on. You have a lunch to buy."

A little over an hour later, Nick and Judy got off the subway at Grass Street. They strolled along a street lined with small businesses, restaurants, shops, you name it. It wasn't the most kept up part of town, but it was seemed to be yet another part of the city that was a hotspot for activity. There was group of deer walking the opposite direction as them so they hopped to the other side of the street. Judy saw a restaurant sign up ahead of them that read 'Pete's Place'. Nick headed straight for it.

Coming to the door, he opened it and waved her to go in first. The inside was full of hungry mammals enjoying their lunch breaks. Both prey and predators were strewn about the randomly placed tables inside. On the far side was a bar.

Nick leaned down to speak in her ear.

"Welcome to Pete's Place, Carrots. Come on. The mammal we want to see is Pete Rasculi. He is the owner and works the bar. If there is something happening in the criminal world, Pete should know about it. Come on."

Nick slipped his way through the mass of tables and chairs over to the bar and hopped up in a seat, with Judy taking a seat beside him.

Nick ringed a bell in front of him and took a menu from in front of him.

"So Carrots, what do you want to eat? I am probably going to get the Pete's Special Bug Burger."

Judy leaned over to look at the menu and noticed a tasty sounding Carrot Salad at the bottom. She mentioned it, causing Nick to grin.

"You _would_ get a carrot salad, Carrots," He teased.

Judy glared at him.

"There is nothing wrong with a rabbit ordering a carrot salad. I actually love carrots, and I'm _proud_ of it, thank you very much."

Nick held up his paws.

"Okay, okay. But, doesn't it seem a bit stereotypical?"

Judy raised her eyebrow.

Nick saw that his teasing was going nowhere and stopped.

"Never mind."

The fox returned to the menu.

"Hmm, what is the most expensive thing on this menu?"

Judy gave him a look.

Nick grinned and continued to browse the menu.

Judy knew he was messing with her. It was his thing. Even though at times she may react seemingly out of annoyance, and there were plenty of times that she was annoyed with him, she enjoyed the teasing to an extent. She didn't know exactly why she did but she did.

Judy looked at the fox's red fur, getting brown in color down his arms and paws. His deep green eyes were mystifying. They always had that glow of mischief and cleverness but at times had a sincere concern when someone got hurt. Judy knew that no matter how much Nick tried to hide it and his feelings he had a kind and loving heart. Something that only someone who had been around him long enough could have seen.

Judy remembered when they had first met. She had thought he was a kind, polite, and honest father. Later, she realized that it had all been an act, but after getting to know him better, she recognized that those traits still could be used to describe him, minus the father part. He was kind, honest, and polite at times. The only thing is, he tries to hide them under layers of sarcasm, teasing, and jokes as well as a seemingly careless personality. There was more to Nick Wilde than met the eye.

Judy had zoned out. She didn't notice that Nick had still been telling jokes. She just watched him.

 _Has he been working out? He looks stronger than I remember. Why have I never noticed how handsome Nick looks?_... _Wait, what?_

Judy's eyes widened but quickly hid it before anyone could notice, inwardly blushing. Did she really just think that?

"What do you think, Carrots?"

Judy snapped out of her daydream.

"Huh? What did you say?"

Nick raised an eyebrow.

"I _said_ that maybe we should give the wolf's family a visit after this and ask them a few questions. Yay or Nay, Carrots?"

Judy blinked but then understood.

"Oh, yeah that is not a bad idea."

Nick gave her another questioning glance before looking towards the kitchen with a smile.

"Yeah, but we'll see what Pete has to say first. Hey, Pete, old buddy! How you been?"

Judy's eyes flashed to the raccoon who had just walked through the kitchen doors. His fur showed some white, signifying some age to the mammal, but not too much. The raccoon was about Judy's height. He was a little plump, but he had a strong build for his species. He wore a button down white long sleeve shirt tucked into his black dress pants. He had an apron tied around his waist. His fur was combed and clean but not too much. He had a gruffness to him and a cheerful face with hardy eyes.

"Nick! My favorite fox, eh? Been good, yeah? Never been better. Business is booming!"

The raccoon had a deep hearty voice. His smile was as wide as possible. He wiped his paws upon the towel he was holding before leaning on the counter of the bar with one.

"What brings you to my end of the city, eh? I see you brought a lady rabbit friend, eh?"

The raccoon lowered his voice, and with a grin questioned him.

"Word on the street is that you're a cop now. Any truth to that, my friend?"

Nick smiled and raised his paws.

"Guilty as charged, Pete. Guilty as charged. I would like you to meet my partner and friend, Judy. Judy, Mr. Pete Rasculi."

Judy smiled and shook his paw.

"Nice to meet you."

The raccoon chuckled.

"Who would have thought it? A fox and a rabbit, friends."

Then the raccoon lowered his voice and leaned closer.

"Maybe even _more_ than friends, eh, eh?" He asked with a wink.

Nick and Judy quickly shook their heads. Judy blushed a little, and Nick's ears were lowered as he rubbed the back of his neck with a nervous laugh while suddenly taking an extreme interest of the ceiling.

The raccoon chuckled, amused by their reactions.

"Sure you aren't. But there's no harm if you were, right? Beautiful thing when predator and prey get together. Beautiful. So-!"

The raccoon slapped the counter in front of them, startling the both of them from their awkward moments.

"—What can Pete Rasculi do for you? Something to eat?"

They ordered their meals, and Pete quickly brought them out to them in record time.

While they ate, they continued chatting with Pete. Judy learned quite a few things about the raccoon. For one, he had a criminal history of stealing things. That was before he started his restaurant and became devoted to more legal habits, but it hadn't been too long ago because he was still on probation and house arrest. The raccoon had showed Judy his tracker anklet as he explained his situation.

"I got caught trying to steal one of those paintings from one of them rich mammals. I was a naughty raccoon. I know that now. I did my time, but, hey! Now I have a business. Plenty of money right here!"

He chuckled.

"I can't leave this area or else you cops will come after me, eh? Hehe! Anyways, they told me I couldn't leave my home, but they never told me I couldn't have a restaurant, now did they? Hehehe! Anyway, what _really_ brings you here, Nick and my rabbit friend?"

Nick swallowed the last bite of his bug burger and wiped his mouth. He leaned forward, lowering his voice.

"We are here for some _information_ , Pete. The kind you can't look up on the internet."

The raccoon raised his eyebrow.

"Ah, of course." He lowered his voice as well.

"Anything for a friend, what is it you would like to know?"

Nick looked around to make sure no one was listening, before leaning in close.

"My partner here saw something. Someone leaving the scene of a murder."

The raccoon's smile had faded and was stroking his chin.

"Hmmm. Murder you say? Foul stuff. Foul stuff. What makes you think I can help you?"

"You know better than I about what the word on the street is, Pete. We need anything you know about a _silver fox_."

The raccoon's eyes widened, glancing about to make sure they weren't being watched. He leaned in very close. His voice barely audible.

"This is something we should not be talking about in the open. Nick, I love you, but are you sure you want to know?"

He looked between Judy and Nick. Judy taking extreme interest. Judy looked at Nick then back at Rasculi.

She lowered her voice as well.

"Anything you can give us would really help us out. Please?"

The raccoon nodded with understanding.

"Okay, I will tell you, but only from the safety of my home above. First though!" The raccoon slapped a bill on the table.

"Pay up! Just because I give you free information doesn't mean I give you free food as well my friends," Pete said with a hearty grin and chuckle.

Nick smirked at Judy. She rolled her eyes and started to feel around her pockets, but then had a look of terror.

"Oh no! I think I forgot my money at home!"

Nick's smile faded slightly but then saw the rabbit's grin.

"Har har, Carrots."

* * *

 **So, what does old Pete have to offer them? We kind of already know, but Nick and Jude the Dude don't. What's this about Judy thinking Nick is handsome? Could be nothing, but then again... It could be something. ;) Stay tuned to find out.**

 **Remember to set alerts so you don't miss a chapter. Post those reviews. I want to know how I am doing.**

 **For those of you who like action and more drama, don't worry. It's coming.**

 **Hey, by the way, if you guys ever wonder how long it will take for another chapter, I post my progress on my profile and an estimated amount of time it will take to complete.**

 **Until next time!**

 **StoryCrusader**


	6. The Case of the Silver Fox: Part 5

**Hey guys, StoryCrusader here. I just finished up another chapter. Hope you enjoy it!**

* * *

 **Section 1: The Case of the Silver Fox**

 **Chapter 5: Curious Thoughts**

* * *

Nick and Judy followed Pete Rasculi up the stairs. Nick wondered just how big of a thing this 'silver fox' lead was going to be. He also wondered about this morning, and Judy's dream. When he had burst down the door after hearing Judy scream, he could have sworn she had muttered his name in her sleep. What could she have been dreaming about besides the murder scene? Why had he been in it?

He hid a grin from the rabbit. It was cute that he was in her dreams. But, Nick's grin disappeared as he thought another thought. If he was in her dreams, then… Did he really mean that much to her? The fox looked at Judy climbing the stairs behind him. Her black-tipped ears lowered behind her head, with a thoughtful look on her face. Now that was a thought the fox never quite pondered before. He knew what Judy meant to _him_ , but he didn't know what he meant to _her_. But what exactly did Judy mean to _him,_ again? Nick thought he had the answer figured out, but now he wasn't so sure anymore. He knew that they were close friends, but just how close?

All thoughts stopped when Pete slipped some keys from his pocket and unlocked the door at the top of the stairway.

"Here we are! Make yourselves at home." The raccoon said with a hardy smile and chuckle.

Nick and Judy gasped at how clean and luxurious the apartment was. The raccoon seemed to have all the latest appliances. A large flat screen TV hung on the far wall, with a line of plush couches facing towards it. To the right of the door was a clean small kitchen. To the left was the paw carved hardwood dining table. Artwork lined the walls. A door to the left side of the apartment lead to the bedroom. Where the raccoon had got all the money for an apartment like this, the duo didn't ask. Instead, they went and sat down on one of the couches, marveling at their surroundings. Pete locked the door behind them and closed all the blinds to the windows that took up a good length of the far wall.

"Now, we can talk freely, my friends." The raccoon took a seat on the adjacent couch next to them and sighed.

"Are you sure you want to know about the 'silver fox?'"

Judy nodded.

"We are sure, Mr. Rasculi. We are trying to track down a murderer. Anything can help."

"Please, call me Pete. But very well, I will tell you."

The raccoon looked at Nick.

"You remember the death of that big time arms dealer a year ago, a little before those mammals started to go missin? 'Black Cat' I think was his street name."

Judy looked at Nick, who nodded.

"Yeah, I remember. He had been choked to death in his sleep. The killer was never caught. It was all over the news." Nick filled Judy in after seeing a confused look on her face.

Pete nodded.

"Well, what the news didn't tell you is that a silver fox had been spotted around the area at the time of the murder."

Judy leaned forward.

"Could it have been the same silver fox?"

The raccoon smiled and waved a finger.

"Ah, that's the question isn't it. What if I told you that a similar silver fox was said to have been responsible for other high profile criminals' deaths, going back for years. Well, as high profile as you can get in the criminal world that is."

Judy's eyes widened as she leaned even further. Even Nick with his laid-back personality showed intense interest.

"A vigilante?" Judy asked.

Pete shook his head

"No, not a vigilante. You must understand that these crime lords never get along and are always are in competition with each other. Sometimes the competition turns bloody, no? No, there are rumors of a crime lord running his business from the Rainforest District that employs an assassin, the one they call 'The Specter.'"

Judy noticed Nick's eyes widen as a twinge of fear crept into his face.

Nick whispered.

"Specter? You are sure? He is a fox?"

The raccoon nodded gravely. Nick gulped. Judy however looked back and forth from the raccoon and her friend, puzzled.

"Hello? I'm missing something. Who is Specter?"

Nick looked at the rabbit.

"You have never heard of the ghostly killer of Zootopia?"

Judy shook her head.

"Nope."

Nick leaned back, his memory going back to when he lived on the street.

"Everyone who had ever grown up on the streets knows the name. You see, a while back there was a string of murders, each victim was killed a different way but all found at the same spot. That was the only connection, the location. Anyways, the ZPD had launched a search for the killer, but whoever they were, they were never found. But eyewitnesses said they had seen some sort of ' _ghost_ ,' as they put it, around the area at the time of each murder. The killer was from then on called 'the Specter.'"

Judy gave a thoughtful look after remembering something.

"I think… I may have read about this before."

Pete nodded and took up the speech.

"There were rumors afterwards that the killer had become a gun for hire, a mercenary. Others thought that the killer truly was a ghost. But, again, the word on the street is that he is under the employment of an arms dealer in the Rainforest District. I don't know the name, but I can tell you that he is a very secretive guy. Some say he runs some sort of business as a cover for his more _profitable_ ventures. That is all I know."

The raccoon leaned forward with concern in his eyes.

"My friends. If indeed the killer you seek is the Specter, you must tread carefully. Not only be wary of him, but also the arms dealer I told you about. He is said to have a temper and will not hesitate to kill you both."

Judy nodded with a grin.

"We will. It was nice to meet you, Pete."

The jolly raccoon shook her paw with a smile.

"My dear new rabbit friend, it was a pleasure to meet any friend of Nick's. And, Nick, good friend, come here!"

The raccoon pulled the fox into a back-breaking hug, much to the fox's discomfort.

Judy laughed at Nick's face as the raccoon put the fox back on the ground. The raccoon was strong for his size.

Pete chuckled.

"It was nice to see you again, eh? Come back again, my friends. And remember, A predator and prey in love is a beautiful thing. Beautiful!"

Nick and Judy quickly let out awkward laughs and smiles before hastily closing the door, saying their goodbyes.

As they walked back down the street from the restaurant, they discussed what they were going to do next.

"So, this fox may work for an arms dealer. But how is the wolf connected? Why kill him?" Nick wondered aloud.

Judy cocked her head to the side at the thought.

"Hmm, maybe the wolf was in league with the crime boss?"

Nick shook his head.

"No, did you see the wolf? He didn't look like he would be a part of an arms dealing ring."

Judy gave him a look.

"Yeah, but Bellwether didn't either, and we both know how that ended."

Nick nodded. The rabbit had a point there, but he still didn't think the wolf had been capable of being a part of organized crime. His thought about it for a moment. If he was not a criminal, then why else would you kill him? Competition? No, that meant he had in fact been a criminal. Jealousy? No. What else? What if the wolf had found something or figured something out? That would be a reason to kill. The arms dealer was secretive, meaning he didn't want information to get out, so if the wolf had something on the arms dealer then the crime lord would obviously want him dead. Nick's eyes lit up at the idea. He shared his thoughts with Judy.

"Nick, you may be right…"

Judy looked excited. She hopped around talking to no one in particular. Nick noticed the energy in her eyes when she realized something.

"…That may explain the missing laptop. Wait, didn't Pete say something about this arms dealer running a business to hide his crimes? Nick! We need to find out where this wolf worked."

The train came screeching to a halt at the station platform. It wasn't their train.

Nick looked at Judy thinking through the information in her head. She had her ears lowered when she was thinking, but every once in a while, they would perk up as she thought about something that could help with the case. The fox smiled as he glanced up to see the subway train take off again. This was the Judy he knew and loved. The determination and excitement when trying to solve something. It was contagious. That same spirit is what helped him make the decision to take up Judy's offer to become a cop. Nick couldn't contain his amusement any further.

"Carrots? Has anyone told you that you look adorable when you work?"

The question caught Judy off guard. She blushed as she gaped at the fox.

"What?" She breathed.

Judy stood speechless. Did he really just ask her that?

The fox turned away with a grin.

"You heard me."

The rabbit stammered at him.

"I know that but why did you ask? You aren't…"

The fox's eyes widened as he rapidly shook his head. This time it was his turn to blush when he realized how Judy was interpreting the situation, but unlike her, his fur hid it.

"Oh, no no no, I didn't mean it like that. I just… I mean… Just friend to friend, you know?"

They both looked away from each other in awkward silence.

Nick bit his tongue. Why couldn't he keep his mouth shut? Still, Judy did look attractive when she was blushing like this…

 _Why did I think… Stop thinking that!_

Nick gave a nervous laugh as he shifted his feet and tried to look composed.

Judy couldn't look at Nick, not right now. Usually, she would have just rolled her eyes and moved on, but Nick's embarrassment furthered her own. Why? He has made these comments before, but she had never once acted like this. She could feel the heat blazing in her cheeks and ears. She rubbed her arm, avoiding eye contact but snuck a glance at the fox. He was also looking the other way and was equally as embarrassed although he did better at hiding it than she did.

 _Ugh, this isn't happening. I don't have feelings for Nick. I don't have feelings for Nick. I don't have feelings for Nick. I have feelings for Nick. Crap._

Judy snuck another glance at the fox. She wondered if the same thoughts were going through his head. No, he was just embarrassed about this situation that Judy had put them in. Of course, that was it. It had to be. Let's move on. Where's the train?

Nick could not believe that he had let that word slip: 'adorable.' Why did he say it? Now he just put both of them into this awkward moment. Did he like Judy? Yes, yes, he did. Did he have feelings for her? That was… unclear, or was it? Nick looked at the rabbit. She looked composed and focused, avoiding eye contact maybe, but she _obviously_ didn't have the same feelings that he was keeping down.

 _See Nick, she just loves you as a friend. Respectable, modest. You feel the same. No big deal. Friends are supposed to care for each other. Relax._

Still. Nick glanced at Judy. No, he won't bring it up. Move on.

He took a breath.

"So, Carrots? Where can we find this wolf's family?"

Judy took her own breath and acted normal.

"Um, I'm not sure. It is in the file, but we don't have it yet. We can't go back to the precinct. We aren't supposed to be working you know."

Nick and Judy grinned, both relieved to be back on a comfortable topic.

Nick gave Judy a sly glance.

"Who says we are? We were just having lunch, remember? How's that working?"

Judy smiled, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

"Yeah, we were _definitely_ not running down a lead or anything, right partner?"

Nick nodded.

"Right. We listen to our superiors, down to the mark." Nick stated so seriously that it was comical.

They both snorted out with laughter at the absurd statement that they knew not to be true, their train rolling into the station.

* * *

 **Mmhm. Interesting stuff is happening in regards to Nick and Judy's feelings toward each other. Who do you think will be the first to admit it? Now, that's the question.**

 **I hoped you liked it. I am going to try to pick up the speed of their investigation into the case, but I figured I would provide an insight into the duo's thoughts about each other.**

 **So, next chapter is coming, but it may take a while because I have an idea for another story that is too good to forget. So, I am trying to get it in writing before I forget about it. Be sure to stay on the look out for that one! But, fair warning, it may make you cry. (Who says that this story wont either at some point, eh?)**

 **Anyways, I hope you enjoyed it. Be sure to set an alert for more and leave a review telling me your thoughts on how its going, as well as any improvements that I should make.**

 **Until next time!**

 **StoryCrusader**


	7. The Case of the Silver Fox: Part 6

**Hey guys! So, short chapter today. But I hope you like it anyway.**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

 **Section 1: Case of the Silver Fox**

 **Chapter 6: Meal Before the Storm**

* * *

Nick and Judy had planned on making a visit to the family of the murdered wolf, but they didn't have the address or anyway to contact them. They didn't even know the name of the wolf. Bogo had never told them. Since their buffalo chief had been quite clear to not investigate the case today and they didn't know how to continue, they decided to go see a movie instead before heading over to Nick's apartment for the rest of the day and work on the case tomorrow. They were a bit tired from last night anyways.

Nick gave a yawn as he slowly climbed the stairs of his apartment building, leading the way for Judy, who had never actually been to his apartment before.

"So, good movie, Carrots?"

The rabbit nodded wearily. She had not had a restful sleep in the past two nights and was much less energetic than her normal self. Even her excitement for the case was not enough to keep her from letting out a yawn.

"Yeah, I like those superhero movies. I liked their portrayal of Spiderpig in this one."

Nick nodded as he continued down the hallway. Judy took the time to look around at her surroundings. The building was much nicer than hers. It was well lit. The carpet was nice and clean. It was not dusty like her apartment building. Judy wondered how much the rent was.

Nick took out his keys and unlocked his apartment door, pushing it open for Judy to go first. He had been letting her go first in a lot of things lately. It was very polite for him to do so, but it made Judy wonder.

"Here we are, Carrots. Home sweet home."

Nick allowed the uniform toting rabbit to slide past him. They had stopped by Judy's place for her to pick up her things. She was going to spend the night on the fold-out mattress from the couch that Nick had just bought.

The apartment was nice. It was larger than Judy's of course. There was a small kitchen that shared the living space. A door lead to Nick's bedroom, and another beside it lead to the bathroom. The apartment was decorated in warm colors, giving off a comfortable atmosphere. A TV was set up in the corner with a sofa angled towards it. The place was clean. Not to say anything about Nick, but Judy was surprised at how tidy the fox kept his place.

"Woah, Nick! Nice place."

The fox made a smile as he closed and locked the door behind him.

"Thanks. What do you want for dinner? I'll cook something."

Judy's eyes widened.

" _You_ cook?!"

Nick made a mock appearance of being hurt by her comment.

"Why Carrots! You offend me with your disbelief. For your information, I can, thank you very much! And I will prove it to you. What do you want? I can make spaghetti, soup, stew, a squash casserole, whatever my bunny wants."

He ruffled through his fridge while Judy hung her uniform over the couch. She gave a smirk.

"Can you cook a frozen pizza?"

The fox just looked at her.

"I don't know, Carrots. I may need help unboxing it and setting the timer on the oven. Seriously though, if it is pizza you want, how about I make it from scratch instead?"

Judy looked skeptical.

"Sounds good, but impress me, Nick."

Judy wished she never teased the fox about his cooking skills. The fox could cook. She could hardly believe it, but it was true. Judy was astounded at how Nick danced around the kitchen, kneading the dough, twirling it in the air like a pizza-making master, preheating the oven, mixing the sauce, chopping up the ingredients, and more.

Judy smiled as she watched him busily work from her spot on the couch. She had been watching TV but had found the fox much more entertaining to watch. Her ear twitched at a strange sound coming from her friend. Was Nick… humming? He was. He was humming some melody like some grandmother mammal would when she was cooking. She was struck by how sweet it sounded. Judy wondered.

Nick never talked about his past much. Specifically, he always avoided any conversation about how he ended up on the street, even if Judy was the one who asked the question. He never talked about his parents, where they were now, what they were like. Judy always saw pain deep in his eyes whenever she brought it up, although he tried to hide it. The rabbit looked at the fox with compassion. Something bad must have happened.

The fox slid the pizza into the oven and wiped his hands on a towel with a satisfying grin on his face. He joined Judy on the couch.

"Prepare to be amazed, Carrots! Give it a while to bake, and you will be biting into the most heavenly slice of pizza your rabbit teeth have ever bit into."

Judy smiled, her mouth watering already.

"It better be as good as you are making it out to be."

The fox gave a sly smile.

"Oh, it is. It is so good that I am going to charge you a fee for each time you take a bite."

Judy punched the fox in the arm.

"You sly fox! Trying to hustle me! I bet it isn't as good as you say it is. You want me to pay you!"

Judy regretted everything she had said when she bit into the most heavenly delicious, taste buds praising, most divinely scrumptious pizza she had ever tasted.

She was speechless. Nick laughed at her amazed face, amused and glad that she loved it.

"Nick! Why are you a cop?! You can open your own restaurant chain with this!"

Nick grinned.

"I take it you like it."

"LIKE IT? I LOVE IT!"

The rabbit was nearly crying at how the flavor graced her mouth with such magical tastiness.

Nick chuckled.

"Okay Carrots. Calm down. Leave some for me, you greedy bunny! Carrots? _Judy?_ Come on! Share with your best friend. Dang it, Carrots!"

They were too busy eating and joking around to notice an envelope sliding under Nick's apartment door.

* * *

Benjamin Bengal was in a state of fury. He had just got word that the rabbit cop and her partner were investigating the murder of the wolf. It wouldn't have angered him if it weren't for the fact that the rabbit had seen Flitch at the scene and was known to be determined to get to the bottom of things. Not to mention that she and her partner were perhaps the best investigators on the police force. Not that the case would have been hard to crack. It wouldn't, but Flitch should have been more careful. If he had not been spotted, then there would have been no lead. Case closed. That's it. But now those two officers were asking questions, dangerous questions. The tiger knew it was going to happen soon or later, but now the time has come for his second in command to retire. Ben knew it would mean war and that meant that his empire would be a secret no longer, but the tiger could not let this go. He knew better than to think that the silver fox had made a mistake. He never made a mistake. Big Ben knew now that Flitch had been plotting against him because the fox and rabbit were the least of his worries. Half of his organization had just defected, with who as their leader? Flitch Slyton! The ghostly assassin. The double crossing, foul smelling, traitor!

The crime lord's badger butler was about to enter the tiger's study with dinner when he heard a roar and glass shattering. The badger thought better of it and quickly walked away before the tiger started looking for someone to take out his anger out on.

* * *

"Hey Nick? What's that?"

The two had just been cleaning up their meal when Judy had noticed the white unaddressed envelope upon the wooden apartment floor.

Nick spotted it too and picked it up.

"Don't know Carrots."

He opened it up. It was a letter.

The fox's eyes fluttered across the paper, his eyes widening.

"Carrots?"

Judy, puzzled, approached the stunned fox and read the letter.

 _The murderer you seek works for Benjamin Bengal. If you value your lives, work quickly._

Judy and Nick looked at each other.

"Looks like we got a name." Nick laughed nervously before falling mute, grin disappearing.

Judy looked at the paper again.

"Looks like we are in danger." She said referring to the 'value your lives' part.

Nick glanced at the clock on his wall. 6:

"Do you think Bogo is still at the station?"

Judy grabbed her phone and coat. It was getting cold out with each passing day as winter approached.

"It's worth a try. We'll call him to be sure, but we need to tell Bogo!"

* * *

 **So, yeah. Short chapter. Next one will be longer and have more stuff happen. Just wanted to get this last bit out before the action.**

 **Thanks for reading!**

 **-StoryCrusader**


	8. The Case of the Silver Fox: Part 7

**Hey guys! Sorry, I have been distracted with my other story, _Tears for a Fox_. I just been so captivated by the emotion of the story that I had nearly forgotten to write the next chapter for this story. So, I wrote one quickly, but it isn't perfect. I will probably come back later to revise it, but at least you guys will have something to read.**

* * *

 **Section 1: Case of the Silver Fox**

 **Chapter 7: War Drums**

* * *

Bogo was about to leave his office when his phone rang. The buffalo gave a sigh. He had had a busy day and would very much like to go home, but he answered the phone anyways.

"Yes!... Hopps? What…. I thought I told you two to…. What? Letter?...Come to the station at once!... Good."

He hung up. Change of plans, the police chief was going to work overtime. As much as he was frustrated that Hopps and Wilde had not done what he said, he was glad that they had some sort of evidence to back up that supposed sighting made by Judy. He had never wanted to think that the rabbit had been imagining things. Hopps was one of his best officers. So, he was glad that it appears she hadn't been imagining things at all.

The chief sat down in his chair with a concerned expression upon his face.

The letter they had received was characteristic of someone who didn't want to be seen talking to the cops which signifies that whatever was happening was big, like dealings with the mob huge. It had never crossed the buffalo's mind that the victim's family may have been lying when they said they didn't know anything. After hearing what Hopps just told him, Bogo now suspected that they may have been threatened into silence. He would get other officers on the case immediately. The police chief didn't like the sound of where this case was going. It could make the ZPD a target. His two officers may be in danger from this Benjamin Bengal. Why did that name sound familiar? Bengal? Bengal.

The buffalo logged onto his computer and did a web search, searching for any connection between the name 'Bengal' and the Rainforest District like Judy had said.

Bogo's eyebrows raised at the result.

Bengal Shipping. That's where the buffalo had heard the name. A couple years ago, the company had been investigated for a possible smuggling operation, but the case fell through from lack of evidence. Interesting coincidence that the name would again come up in another criminal case.

The buffalo snorted.

It was worth a look, but if the company was a front for an arms dealing ring, Hopps and Wilde would need backup, a lot of backup.

* * *

What was left of the arms dealer's inner circle stood in the tiger's study as he paced around. The criminal organization was split. The mammals in the study could feel the tension in the air, the calm before a storm. War was on the horizon. Bengal didn't care if it would mean being exposed. If he was going to go down, all those who betrayed him would be brought down with him.

"As all of you know, Flitch has deceived us and has defected from our organization with half of our resources, assets, and members. Make no mistake! This means war. Revenge is sweet. We best get it. Understood!"

The tiger roared at his broken circle. They all were loyal to him. He could see in their eyes that they wanted revenge as much as he did. Good. He didn't have to kill anyone who was not passionate to the cause. He growled. Let the conflict begin. He was about to wage a war on two fronts. One with his traitorous former second in command and another with the ZPD. He would be playing more defensive with the cops, but if they pushed him, he would be forced to go on the offensive with his primary targets to start with being that stupid bunny and her fox partner. The two mammals were the reason that he would soon be fighting the ZPD anyway. But enough with the distracted thinking, Big Ben had a war to fight.

* * *

Judy and Nick rushed into Bogo's office. They had been careful to watch their backs on the way to the station after the letter they had received seemed to imply that they were in danger.

Bogo had been talking on the phone when they entered. He nodded for them to sit down.

Nick and Judy climbed up on the same chair and sat down.

"That was Captain Greyhorn of the SWAT team. I have him on standby. You said you have a name, Ben Bengal you said?"

Judy nodded.

"Yes, sir, the silver fox works for him."

The buffalo snorted in understanding.

"Well, I have done some research for you."

The chief slapped down a file on his desk for them to examine.

"Benjamin Bengal. Age 46. 7 feet tall. 260 pounds. He runs a shipping business in the Rainforest District. At first glance, he seemed to have no criminal history until I remembered that a Joseph Bengal had been a well-known mobster in Zootopia back in the day. It seems like Benjamin had been accused of assault before in his younger days, but the charges had been dropped. No record was left. His father must have made all the evidence disappear.

His business, Bengal Shipping, had been investigated for criminal activity before, but no evidence had been found. Hopps? Wilde? I don't like how this sounds. I talked with the victim's family again. They had been more open this time. They said that this wolf works at Bengal Shipping and that starting a few days ago, he had come home acting nervous. He was an inventory clerk. Apparently, he kept copies of all the inventory and shipping orders on his laptop."

Judy's eyes widened. The laptop had been missing from the crime scene.

"Chief! The wolf had a laptop on him when he was shot. It had been stolen earlier, and we had got it back for him. He must have found something off with the inventory. If this tiger is an arms dealer, he must be using his business to help distribute the merchandise. And if the wolf had found out about it, then the tiger must have wanted him dead."

It was no use to stop the rabbit's muttering as she put everything together.

"And if the tiger wanted him dead, he must have sent his hitman, the silver fox, to take care of it! He is linked to the murder. We got to go check him out, sir!"

Bogo listened to his officer with amusement. Nick did the same.

The police chief spoke up.

"I have already requested a warrant. It shouldn't be long now. Now, I want the both of you to sit this one out. No exceptions, Hopps!"

The rabbit had tried to protest.

Bogo stood up.

"We are about to raid the headquarters of a possible arms dealer. If he is who we think he is, then I don't want you two in the crossfire. We'll get you your silver fox. He shouldn't be very hard to find if he is a part of this Benjamin Bengal's organization."

The phone began to ring.

Bogo answered it.

"Yes?..."

The buffalo froze.

"…GET EVERY AVAILABLE OFFICER! We need to contain this!" The police chief yelled into the phone as he hung up.

Judy and Nick looked at each other, both thinking the same thing.

 _This can't be good._

Bogo phoned several more mammals before he told them what was happening.

"A massive gunfight has begun at Bengal Shipping. Yes, the same one. It seems like Bengal has loyalty problems. Guess who is at the head of the revolt?"

Nick and Judy were speechless, but Nick spoke up his eyes wide at the coincidence of it all.

"The silver fox?"

Bogo nodded.

Judy's heart raced.

"What do you want us to do?"

The chief looked at the rabbit.

"I want you two to help evacuating the residents. I don't want you two in the line of fire. _Do I make myself clear?_ "

"Yes, sir!"

Nick and Judy rushed out of the office.

The police chief sighed and took out his sidearm from his drawer. He had to go into the field. He shook his head as he watched the retreating figures of Nick and Judy rush down the stairs, on their way to their squad car.

Why did Bogo feel like they were going to get into trouble regardless of what he said to him?

* * *

Flitch smiled as he saw a part of the warehouse collapse through the scope of his rifle. Gunshots rang out from all directions. He spotted a ferret behind a truck trading fire with one of his mammals. The fox lined up the sights and pulled the trigger. The ferret collapsed to the ground.

The silver fox smiled evilly from his position high in the treetops of the Rainforest District. He could be down there, but he always worked from the shadows.

Everything was going according to plan. He liked chaos. He liked fear. He could smell the terror in the air. It exhilarated his senses.

The only reason he had ever done what the tiger had wanted was because the fox had wanted to do it as well, but the assassin had became bored when all the jobs had started to feel the same. Someone had found something out, so Flitch was sent to take them out. Repeat. It hadn't been difficult to convince half of Ben's organization to rise up against him. Now, the silver fox could have target practice for as long as he wanted without being noticed.

Flitch chuckled, his dead grey eyes glistening as he lined up another shot, this time on one of the criminals he had convinced to turn against his boss.

He pulled the trigger.

A wolf dropped dead as the stone cold killer grinned his evil smile.

 _And the ghost killer of Zootopia strikes again._

The silver fox reloaded his rifle and searched for another victim. He didn't care from which side of the war his victims were. He was only in it for the kill, always had.

* * *

 **So, yeah. Quick chapter. But it gets the ball rolling so to speak. Hope you enjoyed it.**


	9. The Case of the Silver Fox: Part 8

**Hey, guys! Sorry for the wait. I have been busy with school and other things. But, I have finished up the next chapter. It may have many grammar errors, but it shouldn't be that bad to read. If you do find anything wrong, post a review or pm me about where I messed up. I will try and fix it later. But, enough of that. Enjoy!**

* * *

 **Section 1: Case of the Silver Fox**

 **Chapter 8: The Chase is On**

* * *

Nick and Judy pulled up with a screech next to a row of houses in the Rainforest District. The residents were already starting to flee. Their job was to make sure everyone did. The pops of gunshots echoed through the air. Police sirens sounded throughout the area. SWAT trucks rushed past Nick and Judy, heading into the danger zone.

The ZPD had started to create a barrier around the warehouse, which was the headquarters for Bengal Shipping. There was no doubt in Judy's mind that Bengal was the one who had ordered the hit on that poor wolf, but it seemed like the ZPD was too focused on Bengal instead of the one who pulled the trigger. The silver fox was still out there.

The rabbit closed the door to the squad car and started to head towards the row of houses that she and Nick had been assigned to evacuate before the situation got worse.

She didn't mind her assignment, but Judy couldn't help but feel like the murderer would get away. This fox was slippery. He would slip away just like he slipped away from her at the murder scene. Which side of this battle was he on?

Judy looked up from her thoughts as Nick knocked on a door. She went on to the next residence while he explained what was happening to the panther that had opened the door.

* * *

Benjamin Bengal was furious. He had been unprepared for the sudden attack on his headquarters.

He and his other loyal subjects had traveled there to prep for the war, to gather weapons from some of the crates as well as some ammo. That was when the attack started.

Gunshots rang throughout the warehouse. Everything had exploded into chaos. The surrounding tree line around the facility was being used as cover for the approaching ZPD.

Ben sprang up from his cover and shot two rounds from his shotgun into an approaching wolf before moving on to take cover behind a truck. He could see the whole battle unfold before him.

Across the facility, the lights lit up a scene of blood, bullets, and violence. His organization had dissolved. Members fought against members, and whoever was not dead in the end, would be arrested or shot by the approaching ZPD. Big Ben's days of crime were up. He knew it, but he had one goal to accomplish before he was forced to retire.

The tiger scanned his eyes for the fox he desired to kill. He wasn't there. Ben was amazed. Flitch never shied away from the opportunity to kill. He had to be there, somewhere.

That was when Bengal noticed something suspicious, something that no one else apparently had seen or recognized. He saw two mammals get struck down by two precise bullets to each skull. That in itself was a clue, but what really struck him was how powerful the impacts were. Someone had to have a rifle to do something like that…

Someone Ben didn't see on the battlefield.

The tiger growled.

Someone who had a reputation of working from the shadows.

Flitch Slyton was here, but he was sniping from the cover of the woods, and he was making victims of both sides of this battle!

Benjamin Bengal wanted to kill the fox even more. Flitch had played him. He had turned his men on him for what? Target practice! He knew he should have never trusted that silver fox.

He stood up and roared as he shot another mammal, but in the corner of his eye, he caught a glint of light come from the top of a tree in the distance. Big Ben had no time to react. He was struck down in an instant.

* * *

Flitch grinned as the dead tiger collapsed like a ragdoll.

 _Your fired boss._

The silver fox chuckled at the thought and lined up for another shot this time at a moving target that had disappeared behind a building. Hard shot, but Flitch had made harder. His target was out of sight, but he tracked the path of the panther so that when he came out on the other side of the building…

Flitch pulled the trigger. The latest entry of his kill list fell dead. One bullet was all Specter needed to complete a task.

* * *

Nick and Judy had visited the last houses that were in the evac zone.

"Is that the last one?" Nick asked Judy as he met up with her again as they quickly jogged back to their squad car.

Judy nodded. It had been easy enough. Everyone had gone willingly. The last mammals were piling into their car.

She had already radioed in their completion of their assignment. They had orders now to patrol the area and make sure that none of the fight gets past the ZPD's barrier.

Nick looked up as the gunfighting escalated.

"Wow. This is getting intense."

Judy nodded as she opened the driver's side door of the squad car.

"We _are_ dealing with an arms dealer. Come on we need to-"

That was when the rabbit's ears shot up at a sudden noise. A gunshot, but closer. A rifle? Whatever it was, it had been muffled enough for her partner not to hear it.

Nick looked at her and then at the surrounding trees.

"You hear something, Carrots?"

"Yeah, it sounded like a gunshot."

"Well, there _is_ a shootout happening down the street."

Judy shook her head, shutting the door she just opened and listening for the sound again.

"No, it sounded like a rifle was fired… somewhere close by."

Nick caught on to what his partner was saying. There was a lone gunman in the area.

Judy's ears flicked in the direction of another rifle shot.

"There!"

She and Nick began dashing in the direction of the sound.

It was dark. They had entered an area that served as a park. There were walkways scattered about the ground as well as in the canopy. Bridges hung between platforms suspended on the tree trunks.

Nick and Judy gazed up amongst the branches. The shooter must be up there.

Nick turned to Judy, drawing his gun. They had stopped by their lockers to quickly gather their things before heading out from the station.

"What do you think, Carrots?"

Judy squinted in the darkness. She couldn't see squat.

"It is dark."

Nick shrugged.

"I can see just fine."

Judy rolled her eyes as she drew her own weapon. She knew he was messing with her.

"That's because you are nocturnal, dumb fox."

Nick grinned.

"Well then, I suggest you keep close. Come on."

They mounted the stairs that spiraled up to the suspended pathways above.

Judy could make out her partner ahead of her, but that was it. Everything else was dark. Even the flashlights equipped to their standard issued pistols did little to help reveal the dark world around Judy.

The rabbit kept close to Nick like he had suggested. The way he had said it had sounded like a joke, but Judy knew that he had also been serious about her staying close. And, close she stayed.

Nick's emerald eyes almost seemed to shine in the darkness as he looked about, trying to spot anything that could give away the shooter's position.

Judy could do little else than keep her ears alert for anything out of the ordinary.

They came to a fork in the path.

Judy was about to suggest which way to go when one of her ears flicked in the direction of the gunfight. The gunshots were closer than before. Nick and Judy had moved closer to the action, so close that they could see a break in the trees where the facility was located. The area was heavily covered in shadow.

Nick was already peering in that direction.

Judy whispered.

"I heard a click like someone was reloading a gun over there. You see anything?"

Nick shook his head and whispered back.

"No, there is too much vegetation in the way to make anything out. The path splits up ahead. You take the one on the right. I'll go left. Sound good?"

Judy nodded and started to move in that direction when she felt a paw restrain her.

"And Judy? Be careful."

Nick had sounded much more serious that time.

Judy looked up into his emerald eyes and gave him a sincere nod before continuing towards the right path.

Nick took the left path.

* * *

Flitch hadn't pulled the trigger in a while. Sometimes he liked to take a moment to enjoy the thrill right before a kill. He hadn't always been like this.

His father had been a cruel fox. Apparently, he thought his albino son could never be good at anything and treated him as such. Flitch's father had never allowed him to go outside, and if he did, it was always during the night. Flitch had never liked his father.

His mother had died when he was born. Flitch's father had blamed the silver fox for the death of his wife and treated him like trash. The treatment had slowly turned the young dead eyed fox's heart cold. Flitch had begun to experiment with his talents in an effort to find what he was good at.

Flitch became more and more dark in his search for greatness as his heart became more and more cold due to his father's treatment of him.

Flitch would sneak out at night. He wasn't good at it at first, but he slowly became an expert at conquering any restraint and obstacle that his father placed upon him. He became a master at disappearing. Flitch had discovered a tunnel system beneath the city. He spent countless nights learning the routes of the tunnels, the entrances, every hidden secret.

He had known where everyone had gone to fight, a small abandoned warehouse away from the life of the city. The silver fox would climb onto the rooftop and study the action through a broken window. When he observed a fighting move that seemed effective, the young albino fox would practice it over and over again until he got it right.

One night, he saw something happen that would change his life forever. He witnessed a murder, a brutal one. Instead of fleeing in terror, Flitch became intrigued by it and wanted to learn more about this art form, or at least that is what he saw killing as: art. From then on, he became fascinated with how to kill. It excited him, thrilled him when he discovered some new way to kill. One night, he decided to start practicing.

His home had been across from a park. He would watch people from his window. On the night of his first kill, he had seen a teenaged wolf slowly make her way alone across the darkness and decided to act. The wolf was easy. The next time, Flitch picked a more challenging target. He continued this for months. Killing soon became a game with the police. He would kill in a variety of ways, avoided any cameras set up, mislead cops put on patrol, and more. Flitch had gotten away with each murder. Soon after, he had decided to become an assassin for hire, but not before he disposed of his father. Flitch disappeared without a trace. There was no record of his existence, his father had never wanted the world to know about his son. Flitch had been a ghost for his entire life, and he remained that way. He became a living nightmare and urban legend on the streets.

Flitch grinned and turned back to his next target. He was about to pull the trigger when something caught his eye to his right. The rabbit officer was there. She must be searching for him. Flitch's heart raced with excitement as he turned the rifle towards the rabbit. She will be dead before she hit the ground.

The silver fox smiled evilly and lined up the shot.

* * *

Nick and Judy had both turned off their flashlights. The light may spook whoever it was shooting.

Nick padded silently across the suspended pathway, his gun out and ready. He kept his eyes open. He kept an eye on the area that Judy had went to search. The fox was having second thoughts about them splitting up.

Nick was worried about Judy. He knew she could barely see, although the moonlight seemed to break through the leaves more in this section, which meant she wouldn't be completely helpless. However, Nick wished that he found the shooter before her. He would be able to see them as clear as day and would be much better off in a shootout than Judy would.

Nick saw his rabbit partner cautiously moving along a far walkway. She kept her gun poised in front of her as she slowly turned about searching for the shooter. Nick turned his attention back to his section of the pathways. Nothing.

Nick started to have a bad feeling. He felt all his instincts telling him that the shooter was near, but Nick didn't see them. Who were they? Where were they?

Nick looked nervously around him and he padded along high in the treetops. The shootout happening below was not helping his anxiety. He took a breath and forced himself to concentrate.

 _Where are you? You must be som…_

Nick's eyes picked up something white ahead of him. As he approached, he realized something.

His heart dropped. A silver fox lay prone on the ground. A silver fox. Nick had just found the killer they had been looking for. But that wasn't what terrified him. It was where the rifle was aimed.

The silver fox had the gun aimed directly at Judy.

"JUDY! WATCH OUT!"

Nick quickly shot his gun at the fox.

The silver fox was startled at the shots but quickly recovered in fractions of a second, rolling away from where Nick's bullets hit just in time. The silver fox fell to a lower walkway.

Nick growled as he continued to fire his gun at the fox, who now had a pistol in his hand.

 _Crap!_

Nick dove to the side just in time as a clip of bullets was emptied into the very spot where he had been standing.

Nick's heart thumped in his chest as he quickly got up. He managed to catch a glimpse of silver fur disappearing behind a tree trunk.

Nick growled as he backed up and launched himself over the railing.

There was no way that he was going to allow this silver fox escape after he turned his gun on Judy.

Nick landed on the suspended walkway with a crash. He hit the floor hard, but got up still having a firm grip on his pistol and dashed after the silver fox.

* * *

Judy had heard Nick's warning and had ducked. She had heard her partner empty his gun, but at who?

The rabbit had just made it over to Nick in time to see a silver furred creature dash along a lower leveled pathway. Nick and him were exchanging fire.

Judy's heart raced as she realized something. Nick was shooting at the silver fox from the alleyway.

She stumbled a bit when she rounded a turn, but ran the last stretch towards her partner.

Her eyes widened.

 _Nick? What are you doing?_

She should have said something, but Nick had already jumped.

Judy's heart dropped as she collided with the railing and stared after her partner. What was Nick thinking?!

"NICK!"

She saw Nick hit the suspended walkway below her. He got up and rushed down the stairs near him.

They must be headed to the ground!

Judy closed her eyes with a sigh as she shook her head, taking a few steps back.

 _I can't believe I am going to do this._

With that final thought, she sprang forward, and with a mighty leap, she cleared the railing. She had always been more of an acrobat, but this was a bit extreme considering the distance she had to jump and how high above the ground she was.

Her feet hit metal grating. Judy's knees buckled upon impact, but she sprang back up and leapt over that walkway's railing too.

Judy needed to catch up with Nick. He would need backup. This was way quicker than the stairs.

Judy may even beat them to the ground.

* * *

 **Mhm, what do you think? Interesting? Exciting? I hope so. Thanks for reading! It may be a while until next chapter so _patience_. I have two stories to write and not a whole lot of time to write them. I will try my best though.**

 **Remember to post a review!**

 **Until next time,**

 **StoryCrusader**


	10. The Case of the Silver Fox: Part 9

**Well, um, hey guys. Sorry for the _long_ delay. I have just been soooo wrapped up with my other story that I neglected this one. I apologize. It's just that I was having a bit more ideas to continue it more than this one. Anyways, I wrote this quick chapter. Not too much, but I do plan to write a few more chapters in the coming days for this story that will be longer. So anyways, Sorry again for the wait.**

* * *

 **Section 1: Case of the Silver Fox**

 **Chapter 9: Risks**

* * *

Judy hit the metal grating hard. She winced at the impact.

 _Okay, that was a farther drop than I thought._

She slowly picked herself up, looking for any sign of the two foxes that she was chasing. One of them was her partner. The other a dangerous killer, who Nick was facing head on. It scared her. She had to catch up with them.

The rabbit doe gripped the railing of the suspended bridge high in the treetops, squinting into the darkness. Somewhere down below was the ground, and somewhere in the surrounding darkness was her partner and probably one of the most dangerous foes they had ever faced.

Her ears shot up at a renewed burst of gunshots coming from somewhere down below. Behind her, the shootout had ended, so she could clearly hear the nearby popping sounds.

 _They are exchanging gunfire again. I need to get down there, but where to jump._

Judy frantically looked about, and caught sight of a platform below her.

 _Bingo!_

She slipped over the railing and landed on the wood surface with a roll.

 _That was easy enough._

She ducked as she heard a bullet barely miss her head.

Judy threw herself to lay prone to the platform's surface.

She heard a yell from close by.

"JUDY! Are you okay?!"

The rabbit breathed a sigh of relief. Nick was still okay. She shouted back into the darkness.

"Yeah! Where are you?"

"Just below you, across the way! He is almost to the ground!"

Judy got back up to peer down into the black.

"And where is the ground?! I can't see anything, Nick!"

"It is no more than 30 feet down from you…"

There was a pause. Nick must be running. In fact, he was speaking between breaths.

"There is another platform directly below you! Drop to that and then to the groun- Ahh!"

There was another round of gunshots. Judy's heart skipped a beat as she heard Nick's cry of pain.

"Nick?!"

"I'm fine! Got grazed! Get going, Carrots!"

He didn't need to say that twice. Judy grabbed the railing with both paws and threw herself out over it still hanging onto the railing, causing her to swing back and towards the platform that Nick said was under her. She would have to take his word for it since she saw nothing but black.

Her feet hit the platform with a thud.

 _Almost there_.

Judy looked down and was rewarded by seeing ferns. The ground. Wasting no time, she dropped the last 10 feet with ease and quickly drew her gun before rushing to where she assumed the stairs were.

* * *

 _Damn silver fox!_

Nick was descending the spiral staircase two steps at a time. Below him he heard his adversary do the same. The ground was so close. Judy should be down by now and would cut off this murderer's path.

The red fox gritted his teeth when he gripped his shoulder. He may have downplayed his injury a bit. He didn't want Judy to worry though.

Nick heard a ' _click_.'

 _Crap!_

His eyes went wide again as he threw himself against the tree trunk as the loud gunshots accompanied a clip of bullets punching through the woodwork where Nick had just been standing.

 _Not this time, SilverButt_.

Nick still didn't know how this guy could tell where he was so _precisely_. The silver fox had been able to somehow deduce where the red fox's location was above him and fired his gun upward through the wood.

Once the bullets stopped flying, Nick launched himself down the stairs, his heart pounding in his chest with a mixture of fear, excitement, and worry for his partner.

Nick had a sudden idea to shorten the distance. It was pretty much the same idea as before… not really thinking it through.

He hurdled over the railing. Falling through the open air, Nick quickly turned his body so he could look back at the staircase passing by before him. In that moment, Nick felt like he was in one of those action movies. He spotted his target, who had spotted him and was aiming his gun his way, but Nick was quicker. He popped a few shots at the silver fox, who dove down the rest of the stairs to avoid them.

Nick then had a sudden worried thought about the impact with the ground but then felt his back hit a leaf as he merely bounced off it and to the ground directly below. He stood up wide eyed. He couldn't believe that worked. He must be getting as crazy as Judy.

Before he could rush to where he last saw his target, Nick felt something slam into him from behind, sending him sprawling onto the ground before him.

Groaning, since he landed on his bad shoulder, Nick looked over to see Judy also groaning and rubbing her head.

"Hey Carrots, mind watching where you are going next time?"

Judy just gave him a quick glare before they both bounded to their feet.

Judy looked around, frantically.

"Where is he?"

Nick nodded ahead of them.

"The stairs are this way. I think I hit him in the shoulder in my fall."

He couldn't help a grin.

" _Payback._ "

Judy shook her head as they started to run after the silver fox. Now wasn't the time to try to figure out what Nick was talking about.

They burst into the lighted clearing where the stairs led to, guns drawn.

The silver fox was nowhere to be seen.

Nick and Judy cautiously approached the bottom of the stairs.

Nick gave a grin. He had hit the slippery silver fox.

 _Well, well. It seems the Specter is flesh and blood after all._

He chuckled to himself before wincing at the pain in his shoulder. He clutched it with his free paw. Removing his paw, he saw that it was coated in blood. That silver fox got him good.

Nick's eyes flashed a worried glance at Judy. She hadn't noticed yet. Good.

He angled his body in such a way as to hide the fact that he was injured from Judy. The bullet had pierced through his Kevlar vest. The fox must be using special ammunition in order to do that.

Nick felt his paws going clammy and his face begin to become pale.

 _Uh oh._

He shook the feeling away. Taking a deep breath, he walked up to the blood at the base of the stairs and looked about. The assassin couldn't have gone far.

Nick sniffed the air. He caught a scent trail going back towards a row of older houses built along the forest floor.

Judy caught his eye as he nodded in that direction.

She gave a nod back and started to move towards the houses.

Nick began to follow her, but stumbled a bit. He blinked away the dizziness.

 _Crap._

He took another breath and took out his good old scout handkerchief and stuffed it between the wound and the vest in order to help with the bleeding. Hopefully it was enough for now.

Nick began to jog after Judy. He grabbed his walkie on his shoulder. Better call for backup while he still had the chance.

* * *

 **Hmm. Nick's been shot, but he is taking it like a champ. But, is that really a good thing to do? Perhaps he should tell Judy, but that would probably mean that she will give up the chase to attend to him. Which is better? Catching a murderer or letting said murderer get away? It all depends on how you look at it. Anyways, hope you enjoyed. Sorry it took so long. Sorry. Sorry. Sorry.**

 **Well, I will try my best to not neglect this story for so long again, but _Tears for a Fox_ is the priority right now. More followers means more time I should put into it instead of this one. Sorry. Just how I see it. :(**

 **Anyway, thanks for reading.**

 **Until next time...**

 **StoryCrusader**


	11. The Case of the Silver Fox: Part 10

**Hey guys! Finished another chapter. Hope you like it!**

* * *

 **Section 1: Case of the Silver Fox**

 **Chapter 10: Blacked Out**

* * *

Judy slowly made her way up to the row of old houses in front of her.

Nick had motioned that the culprit had gone this way. Her senses were on high alert. This was not the mammal to underestimate. If anything about the urban legend is true and this same fox killed all those people in that string of murders that happened a while ago, then he knows how to be stealthy and lethal.

Judy heard a grunt coming from behind her, giving Nick a questioning glance as if to ask if he was okay.

Nick just flashed her a quick grin only to have his face express pain after she looked away.

He was trying to move on, but this wound was not getting any better. Regardless, he was going to see this through. He didn't do all those crazy stunts for nothing. This silver fox was going to be caught tonight if it was the last thing he did,… which was looking to be a possibility if they didn't catch him soon. There was zero chance that Nick was going to let this murderer get away with trying to shoot Judy… and also with the murders he committed of course. Of course, um. Which was his primary reason again?

They reached the first house. Each structure was old and pretty much abandoned. The silver fox could be anywhere.

Nick used his night vision to search the area. Nothing. He sniffed the air. Nothing. He listened intently. Absolute silence.

He was beginning to see why this fox is often referred to as a ghost. The silver fox seemed to have eerily vanished without a trace. Even being down wind, Nick couldn't pick up this fox's scent… unless. Unless the fox was behind them, keeping his scent down wind of them. If he was, Nick had no idea how he cou…

Nick heard a twig faintly snap behind him. His eyes grew wide. The red fox quickly turned about just in time to deflect the silver fox's move to stab him in the gut.

Reacting on instincts, Nick launched his shoulder into his attacker, sending the dead-eyed assassin snarling as he tumbled down the slope to their right.

Nick clutched his shoulder as he uttered curses under his breath, the pain making him go cross-eyed. Why did he use _that_ shoulder?

"Nick!"

It had all happened so fast, that by the time Judy had quickly turned around when she heard the scuffle, the silver fox had already been sent tumbling down into the vegetation. She only saw him for a moment.

The rabbit rushed to Nick's side as she had noticed him gripping his shoulder in pain. That was when she smelled blood.

"Oh my gosh! Nick! Did he stab you?... Wait…What… Nick, are you shot?!"

Nick grumbled as he clutched his shoulder, trying to move it away from the alarmed doe while trying to spot where his attacker went.

"It's fine."

Judy eyes were wide as she examined his shoulder while keeping an eye out for their opponent. That was when she noticed the amount of blood that was drenching Nick's shirt, and her attention to Nick became absolute.

She gasped.

 _Oh My Gosh, Nick!_

She quickly looked about as she started to push Nick back towards where they left their cruiser.

"Nick! That is not fine! You need to get to a hospital!"

Nick was about to respond when a snarling silver fox launched out of nowhere and into him.

 _Oh Sh…_

The fox officer was knocked hard against the wall of the old building, making him yelp with pain as he was sent into a daze.

A startled Judy jumped into action. She raised her gun at the albino mammal, but the fox had anticipated it and kicked it from her paws before she managed to fire off a single shot, which hit a nearby tree harmlessly.

In the same movement, the silver fox grabbed the rabbit by her vest and ruthlessly and swiftly threw her away from him with a villainous growl.

Judy was surprised at the fox's speed and strength. Even she, ZPD's quickest and most effective fighter when it came to paw to paw combat, couldn't react in time. She saw the silver fox turning back with a evil grin to her wide eyed partner, who was shouting something at her. What he was shouting Judy couldn't tell as she felt herself hit something hard and then… darkness.

Time stood still. She moved in and out of consciousness. She saw images pass before her as she lay on the ground.

A red fox launching himself at a silver fox with savagery in his eyes.

Darkness

Two foxes circling each other with snarls and growls.

Darkness.

The silver fox was pinned to the wall but had a choke hold on the red fox.

Darkness.

The silver fox was on top of the red fox until the red fox kicked him into the stomach and sliced his face with his claws, making the silver fox fall away with a yelp.

Darkness.

The red fox was falling to the ground as the silver fox yanked his foot from under him.

Darkness.

The silver fox had a knife. The red fox was dodging and deflecting the attacks, but then the other fox knocked him off balance and stabbed the knife into him leg. A gasp of pain.

Darkness

The silver fox stumbling backward, clutching his face. The red fox held a bloodied knife in his paw, growling at his opponent.

Darkness.

The red fox limping toward her but only to be tackled down the slope beside her by the now bloodied silver fox. Snarls. Yelps.

Darkness.

An empty scene of an old building surrounded by vegetation, the foxes out of sight. Blood on the ground.

Darkness.

Judy felt herself being lifted slightly at one point as she looked into concerned emerald eyes before the red fox turned around at a snarl from behind. He launched himself from her side with a snarl himself at the unseen threat.

Darkness.

An empty scene as she lay unmoved on the ground. She heard growls and yelps of pain, familiar yelps.

Darkness.

She saw flashing red and blue lights in the distance.

Darkness.

A wolf and a tiger were rushing toward her, guns drawn. The tiger directed the wolf toward her before rushing off into the vegetation.

Darkness.

Judy heard a voice calling her name.

"Judy?"

Still darkness but she could feel herself being shaken as her hearing became clearer.

"Judy? Wake up."

She opened her eyes to a blurry picture of a concerned wolf kneeling next to her as he shook her awake.

Judy blinked with a moan as she began to realize the pain in her head. She put a paw to the back of her head as she slowly pushed herself up from the base of the tree where she lay.

"Woah now. Careful. Here lean against the trunk."

Wolford gently pushed her against the trunk as she shifted to a sitting position, wincing from her sore back.

Judy looked around.

Other officers were approaching from the street, outlined by the flashing lights that lit up the darkness. She was sitting against a tree trunk next to an abandoned house.

She looked back at her wolf friend and fellow officer with a confused look.

"Wha—what happened?"

The wolf eyed her suspiciously at her eyes as he checked her injuries.

"Not quite sure. We got rerouted here after Nick called for backup. When me and Fangmeyer got here, we heard the fighting and ran over. Found you unconscious and Nick—"

Judy's eyes immediately went wide at her partner's name as she nearly jumped up right onto her feet, but Wolford held her down.

"Nick! Is he okay? Where is he? I need to…"

She tried to get up in a panic but groaned as she did so. The wolf officer put a paw on her shoulder, forcing her down.

"Easy, Judy. Your head took a hit. Could have a concussion."

Judy glared at the wolf. He still didn't answer her question.

"Wolford, where is Nick?"

The wolf looked uncomfortable.

"Nick is… gone."

Judy jumped as her heart raced and fell hard into her stomach.

"GONE! What do you mean gone? He isn't de—"

Wolford quickly shook his head.

"Oh nononono! He isn't dead. Well… I don't kn…"

He sighed.

"Fangmeyer is looking for him. We haven't found him yet… But… we did find this…"

Wolford handed her the gold object attached to a piece of cloth.

Judy instantly knew what it was. It was Nick's badge attached to a piece of his uniform.

She just stared at it before launching herself up. This time, Wolford couldn't stop her.

"We need to find him!"

Wolford tried to push Judy back down but froze at the fiery look that the rabbit flashed at him and brought his paws down.

"Okay, but first lets—"

The doe snapped at him.

"No! We need to find him! I am not going to let him bleed out and die! Where did you find this?"

He pointed towards the old building.

"On the other side of it."

Judy was about to rush in that direction when she heard someone call to her.

"Hopps!"

Both officers jumped at the booming voice from the police chief. Bogo had walked up to the pair without them realizing. His face was mixed with concern, anger, and steel.

Judy's anger faded as she looked up at the cape buffalo towering over her.

"Chief Bogo, sir!"

The Chief snorted as he turned to Wolford.

"That will be all Wolford."

The wolf departed with a nod to join the search for Nick.

Bogo turned back to his rabbit officer.

"Hopps! What did I tell you and Wilde to do? To stay out of it. You disobeyed me."

Judy shook her head.

"No, sir! We did what we were told. We evacuated the area, but then we noticed that there was a sniper in the tree tops. And since you were preoccupied with the shootout, we went to apprehend him."

Bogo held up a hoof to silence her and let out a sigh.

"Very well. I knew something like this would happen. What happened?"

Judy explained somewhat anxiously about everything that had taken place. Bogo just stood there in silence, but his eyebrows shot up when he heard her description of the shooter.

When she finished, Bogo sighed again and looked up, his expression softened as he put a hoof on her shoulder.

"We will find Wilde. I know I am asking a lot from you when I say this but… you need to go see the paramedics and get checked out. You won't be any good with a concussion. Me and the rest of the officers will find him. Hopps? That's an order now. Go get that head checked out. I will keep you informed."

Judy was about to protest when she caught his eye and relented with a sigh starting to pad towards the road.

"Yes, sir," She said in a reluctant tone.

Bogo snorted and watched her go, eyes narrowed, but after not seeing her change her course, he became convinced that she was indeed headed for the ambulance parked on the road. With another snort, he marched off into the brush, flashlight equipped, and searched for his lost officer.

Judy's ear flicked back as she heard vegetation being crushed under hoof.

She carefully peeked back to see if he was still watching her. He wasn't. She glanced about to see if anyone else was watching before ducking her head around the corner of the abandoned building.

 _I'm coming, Nick. Hold on._

When Judy saw his badge, she suspected one thing: that the silver fox had taken him. After Wolford told her where the badge had been found, her mind began to brainstorm. She had a suspicion why they had not found Nick nor the silver fox yet. How they seemed to have disappeared.

Judy came around to the other side of the building and noticed that she was alone. She took out her flashlight and began to look for clues.

There were pawprints everywhere. It was impossible to tell which way they led. The rabbit thumped her foot in frustration and worry. She had to find Nick soon or he could bleed out and die. She shivered at the thought.

 _That is if he isn't already dead._

She gulped, the possibility scaring her.

She looked at the base of the building, and that was when she saw it. There was a slight trace of blood under the door to the building. They must have gone inside.

Judy quickly reached for her gun. Well… it wasn't hers. It was Wolford's. She was learning a few things from con artist Nick about the art of sleight of paw and pickpocketing.

She slowly nudged the door open. The blood trail was more clear now. Someone had dragged someone else across the floor and down the stairs. Judy assumed that the person being dragged was Nick, adding to her increasing concern and anxiety. She silently padded down the stairs, gun drawn and flashlight off.

The basement.

They weren't there.

Judy looked about, shocked and confused.

"Oh no no no! Not again! Wait… 'again?'"

Her eyes widened at a thought. The blood trail had mysteriously stopped, but Judy pictured where the best place for a secret passageway would be. That was when she noticed the square outlines on the ground, where a couple of boxes in the cluttered basement had been moved.

 _Gotch ya!_

She rushed over to the wall and started to examine it. There was a secret door there. It was the only explanation.

Judy tried to push against the wall, her feet sliding on the dusty ground as she did so. She grunted in the silence. She backed away, exasperated from the effort.

 _Okay, that's not going to work. How did Nick open that other one?... He pressed a brick…_

Her attention shifted to the bricks along the wall. She started to press every one her paw came across. She growled with frustration.

"Come. On…"

That was when her paw sunk into the wall with a click and the door opened with a dull creak.

In her mind, she rejoiced with the victory, but she forced herself to focus. She had to save Nick.

She held up the gun as she descended into the tunnel. She left the door open so that others could find it when they came looking for her after realizing she _hadn't_ done what Bogo had ordered. It terrified that she was disobeying a direct order from the police chief, but she was even more terrified for her best friend, who she may even see as… more than a friend?

The thought only strengthened her resolve.

Judy had to find Nick and rescue him from the hands of this silver fox, or die trying. She could not do what Bogo had ordered and sit on the sidelines.

 _Hang on, Nick. I'm coming for you._

* * *

 **So... Your thoughts? I hoped you liked it. It took me a while to write this. I didn't know how to do it at first. I knew I wanted a fight, but I didn't know if I wanted it from Judy's perspective, Nick's perspective, have them both fighting, etc. I don't know. This is what I eventually came up with. Hope you're satisfied. ;)**

 **Remember to follow and mark this as a favorite!**

 **Until next time,**

 **StoryCrusader**


	12. The Case of the Silver Fox: Part 11

**Hey guys! So, sorry it took a while. I am hitting a serious writer's block with this story, but I think this chapter turned out decent. It may be hard to read, just a fair warning. So, yeah, enjoy if you can... ;)**

* * *

 **Section 1: Case of the Silver Fox**

 **Chapter 11: Helpless**

* * *

Nick slipped in and out of consciousness. He felt weak, very weak. He barely registered that he was being dragged across a stone floor. It was dark, like he was in some sort of underground tunnel.

Who was dragging him? His mind was too hazed to remember. All he knew was that whoever they were didn't have good intentions.

His eyes could just make out a trail of red. His nose picked up the heavy scent of blood upon his body. He felt his legs and tail drag across the stone, the blood making them slide easier across the surface.

Pain. Exhaustion. Weariness. Treading the thin line between life and death.

Nick slipped out of consciousness again, helpless in the paws of his captor. He was going to die. He just knew it.

* * *

Flitch growled as he clutched his shoulder while dragging the limp body of the fox officer behind him by one paw. That fox had a good shot. He was different than any other opponent he had faced. The cop took risks.

Flitch despised this fox. No one had been able to stand up to Flitch in a fight for years, but yet this cop had managed to not only shoot him in the shoulder but also slice his face with his own knife, bruise his knee, smash his jaw, break his finger, and give him a headache worthy of elephants.

The red fox had not even been that good at fighting.

Flitch dragged his adversary down the stone stairs, letting go mercilessly to let him tumble a short way down to the bottom.

He hated this fox.

The silver fox growled with disgust. He had become unfocused by the taunts of the red fox. Flitch had faced opponents before that taunted but had not been fazed. However, this fox cop was the most annoying opponent the assassin had ever faced. The red fox had managed to say all the right things to get under Flitch's skin. Flitch had quickly become angry, instead of keeping his cool like he normally would. That led to mistakes, but in the end, the assassin came out on top and managed to ruthlessly pummel his opponent into the ground, making him loose consciousness. The silver fox had wanted to kill him right there and then, but he was overwhelmed with a desire to do something else. He had wanted to go pick up that rabbit and take both down into the tunnels to make them both suffer, but his plans were forced to change when the other cops arrived.

Flitch picked up the fox officer from the bottom of the stairs with a sneer.

The silver fox turned down another passage. He knew exactly where he was going and what he was going to do. He was going to kill this fox officer. Never had the silver fox felt hate like this before. He wanted to make this fox cop suffer, and that rabbit was the key to do so. He would kill that rabbit in front of him. It was obvious that they cared for each other, although, ironically, it doesn't seem that they knew it. Blind mammals.

Flitch gave an evil grin.

 _Perhaps I should help them realize their feelings for each other. Play matchmaker._

He couldn't resist an evil cackle that echoed throughout the tunnels. That bunny will be following him. She will play right into his paws. Then the fun will begin.

* * *

Judy padded as quickly as she could through the dark and damp tunnels, light on. She had been following the blood trail for what seemed like ages. Down stairs. Turning corners. This silver fox knew exactly where he was going.

The rabbit shivered in the chill of the underground tunnels as well as the thoughts that plagued her mind. Images of Nick's bloody corpse flashed across her mind's eye. His clouded dead eyes were staring at the ceiling. A trickle of blood trailed from his mouth.

Judy shook her head. No, he is still alive. She felt it. He needed her. She took a deep breath to calm her nerves as she reached another stairway. As soon as she began her descent she froze at the sound that made her fur stand on end.

It was an echo of high-pitched laughter coming from somewhere below. It sent a chill down her spine as she forced herself to continue. She was determined to find her fox and bring him home, but she was starting to regret her foolish decision of going in alone. What had she been thinking?

Regardless, going in alone had its perks. For one, she could move about more stealthily than if she was in a group.

She was determined. Yes, she was terrified for herself but more so for her partner and friend. She had to get to him fast, but she also knew that she would have to get past a proven assassin first, which was not going to be an easy task.

She turned yet another corner in the underground maze. She heard rushing water coming from somewhere down below. The blood trail came to another descending staircase, and Judy was once again left wondering just how far down these tunnels went.

 _Much deeper than the subways that's for sure. Much older too._

She looked at the carvings that now appeared in the stonewall as the tunnel curiously transitioned into a more decorative setting, almost like whoever had been digging the tunnels came across an old temple-like tunnel system of their own.

Judy shone her light on the damp walls. There were images of mammals performing various rituals carved into them. Her mind wandered back to what she learned in history class all those years ago of the ancient hidden temples built by the civilization of mammals that thrived the lands in and around Zootopia before the great city had even been settled. It was said they were more or less savages, sacrificing others to please the gods. The rabbit remembered a rumor speculated through history about subterranean chambers where much of the sacrificing took place, tossing the bodies into underground rivers to be carried to the realm of the gods.

Judy shivered upon realizing that the rumors may have been true after all, after seeing a carving depicting a canine sacrificing a rabbit and tossing the body into what appeared to be a depiction of water.

She knew from history class that the controlling class of animal back then had been predators, but she also knew that they didn't just sacrifice prey but other predators too. It was a messed up world back then.

 _It still is a messed up world._

Judy shook the thought from her mind as she continued to worry for Nick. She felt heart ache too. She didn't know if that was because her friend was in danger or that the fox she had feeling's for was in danger. Maybe it was both. Regardless, she needed to get to him.

The sound of rushing water became louder. It wasn't a roar, but it was distinct.

Her heart skipped a beat when her eyes picked up light ahead. She turned off her flashlight and slowly approached the opening in the wall to her right-side from where the light emanated.

She held back a sudden gasp when she heard a yelp of agony. She knew that yelp.

 _Nick!_

She nearly breathed a sigh of relief. He was still alive, but her heart went out to him as the sound of pain filled her with dread.

She carefully peeked her head around the corner and saw Nick laying on the floor by what appeared to be an underground river. One push and he would be sent over the edge and into the rushing water.

She didn't see the silver fox so she cautiously made her way into the chamber, fighting the urge to run over to her partner and cry her eyes out.

She held the gun out in front of her, quickly pointing it to one side of the room before looking past the corner to the other side. No silver fox. He must have left into some of the other passages that connected to the chamber.

It was a chamber. A temple. Built for rituals. The ceiling was black from the many fires that must have been lit here. There were a couple of torches lighting up the room, but Judy didn't pay them any attention. She had to get her partner out of there before the assassin came back to finish the job.

Keeping an eye on the side-passages she sprinted over to the injured fox, keeping her voice to a whisper as she turned him over.

"Nick! Oh my gosh! I need to get you out of here."

The stirred awake and suddenly looked at her with fearful eyes, his voice was weak but urgent.

"Judy! You need to get out of here! It's a trap!"

Judy froze, her heart dropping as she heart the high-pitched laugh coming from behind her. Her eyes widened, and a split second later, she sprung into action.

She quickly turned around to aim the gun at the silver fox, but it was too late. The silver fox had already disarmed her and was slamming her to the ground.

He gripped his paws around her throat and began to choke the life out of her.

Her mind raced. She tried to remember her training, anything to break free. She tried every trick in the book, but the fox just squeezed harder.

She wanted to cry. She didn't want to die, but it seemed like that is exactly what was going to happen. She shouldn't have gone in alone. She wished she never heard that sniper fire. She was helpless, but she couldn't give up.

Judy bucked about trying to break free, all the while gasping for air.

The silver fox chuckled at her brave effort.

"It's no use, rabbit."

Her eyes widened as her face scrunched up in anger. If she could speak out she would have, but instead she was choking.

 _No! No! No!_

The assassin turned towards Nick who was making an effort to growl at him, trying to turnover and crawl to his partner's rescue, but he was helpless. He was too weak to move.

Flitch gave him an evil smile.

"I am going to kill her, Officer Wilde. I am going to kill her in front of you, and you won't be able to do anything about it. How does that make you feel?"

Nick was furious and desperate. He flipped himself onto his stomach and tried to crawl towards them. He felt a desire to kill that silver fox for what he was doing to his rabbit, but he was too weak to move more than an inch.

"I swear I will kill you!" Nick threatened, nearly inaudibly, but Flitch understood.

With just a sneer, the silver fox turned his attention back to rabbit doe that was now going limp from lack of oxygen. He flipped open his knife, eliciting a pained protest of a fox behind him.

Judy gave a strangled cry, squirming in the fox's grasp and giving him a look of fierce anger.

Nick felt desperate and hopeless. He was going to watch his best friend die, and he could do nothing about it. He wanted to kill that fox. Kill him for what he was doing to Judy, what he was about to do. He hated him. He had to stop him, but he couldn't. The blood loss was too severe. His body shook as he tried in vain to move again, only to collapse with an agonizing whine.

He reached for Judy. She gazed at him with sorrowful violets. She knew what was going to happen. Her eyes portrayed what she wanted to say. She wanted to comfort the fox, to tell him it was alright, but she was prevented by constriction of her wind pipe that was making her see spots dance across her vision, feeling lightheaded.

Judy felt some tears start to come to her eyes when she saw Nick's pained emerald eyes desperately looking at her. She knew he felt helpless, so she had to put on a brave face if not for her, for him. Give him some comfort if any was to be had.

Nick whimpered weakly as the rabbit's eyes sparkled with anticipation as the knife was raised by the silver fox.

He felt hot tears come to his eyes as he once again put all his strength into picking himself up from the ground, but he collapsed yet again. He tried again. Over and over, becoming more frenzied before his body gave out. He could not move. He could only watch with horror.

He loved her. He knew it. Now, he wouldn't get the chance to tell her. He felt the light begin to fade as Judy's eyes closed as she braced for the knife's impact. Soon it would be over.

"Judy…" He mumbled, barely able to keep his eyes open.

The rabbit let a tear fall as she heard him say it.

 _Love you Nick._

With that the knife reached its highest point. Fractions of a second had gone by. Fractions of a second more and the knife will fall, and Nick will see it all.

Judy held what little breath she still had left. She never thought it would end like this.

* * *

Bogo let out a sigh as he trudged through the underbrush back towards the road. After 30 minutes of searching combined with the long day he had, Bogo would like nothing more than to go home, take out a bottle of scotch, and relax. But, that was the last thing he will do, especially when he had a missing officer to find.

The police chief had sent patrols out, to widen the search. They needed to find Wilde fast, or he would bleed out and die, if he wasn't dead already.

The buffalo pinched the space between his eyes. He was frustrated. They had found nothing. Nothing. You would think that a bleeding fox would leave a trail of blood for them to follow, but there was none. The wolves were hard at work trying to find a scent trail, but so far, they hadn't been able to find anything. It didn't surprise Bogo. The shootout down the road had spilt a lot of blood and the wind had shifted and pushed the scent into the search area's direction. The wolves were having a hard time picking out Wilde's blood scent from the rest of the overpowering smells that drifted from the bloody battlefield up wind.

Bogo was going to check on his rabbit officer. Upon leaving her, he had started to have a strange feeling. He had shook it off, but it kept returning. Now, he had to go see if that rabbit had obeyed him, and he had a feeling… she hadn't, especially after not seeing her around the paramedics that were on standby.

The buffalo called out to the passing polar bear as he neared the ambulances.

"Grizzoli! Where's Hopps?"

The bear shrugged.

"I don't know, sir. She isn't here. She is probably out helping with the search."

The buffalo sighed and grabbed his radio.

" _She better not_ … All units. Has anyone seen Hopps?"

Each response came back with the same message. No one has seen her.

Bogo snorted with frustration.

 _She disobeyed a direct order, not that I'm surprised. Now I have two missing officers! Where did she go?_

The police chief massaged his forehead. He needed a drink.

Suddenly the radio buzzed with Wolford's voice.

" _Chief! I think I know where Judy went… and Nick and the suspect! There's a blood trail!_ "

Bogo wasted no time in grabbing his radio.

"Wolford! Where?!"

When he heard where and what the wolf had found, the chief launched into action.

He boomed into the radio.

"All units in the search! Converge on Wolford's location! Follow that blood trail! If anyone comes across a silver fox in those tunnels, you have my permission to send him back to hell where he belongs! Get our officers back!"

The buffalo felt deep concern. A Blood trail. Hopps has been missing for half an hour. Anything could have happened in those tunnels in that length of time. Wilde could already be dead. Hopps could already be dead. They needed to get down there. If they both survive, he will have to have a serious talk with that rabbit.

Bogo just wished they wouldn't be too late…

* * *

 **Yikes! I know. I keep you waiting for this long and I leave off with a horrible cliffhanger. Sorry. Just how it has to be. I am not going to just leave it off here and discontinue the story. No, I started it. I am going to finish it in some form or another. I hope this was an okay chapter. I wasn't so sure about it.**

 **Anyways, hope you enjoyed. Well, as much as you can after that nice little cliffhanger, right? ;)**

 **Until Next Time...**

 **StoryCrusader**


	13. The Case of the Silver Fox: Part 12

**Hello, guys. So, I am sorry for the long wait, but like I have been saying previously, I am running out of ideas for this story. So, I have come to the conclusion to finish it. That's right. This is one of the last chapters. No action really. Just a hearkening back to what the story was supposed to be about from the beginning. The story of a fox and rabbit's relationship.**

 **Enjoy...**

* * *

 **Case of the Silver Fox**

 **Chapter 12: Ghosts**

* * *

 _"_ _Nick! Oh my gosh! I need to get you out of here."_

 _"_ _Judy! You need to get out of here! It's a trap!"_

 _Pain. Pinned. Laughter._

 _"_ _I am going to kill her, Officer Wilde. I am going to kill her in front of you, and you won't be able to do anything about it. How does that make you feel?"_

 _"_ _Judy..."_

 _Knife. Whimpers._

 _'_ _I love you, Nick.'_

 _Pain! Gasps!_

 _"_ _NOOOO…"_

 _Darkness…_

* * *

Judy's eyes flashed open wide as she gasped more air, sitting up quickly. She had something in her mouth that seemed that felt like it was choking her. She reached up and yanked it out, gagging as the long tube came out from down her throat. She clutched her chest. She didn't know why she was so afraid of what she may find on her chest. She felt a bandage.

She glanced around the room. White tiled ceiling. White walls. White floor. Where was she? Where's Nick?! Why was she so desperate to find Nick? What happened?

The rabbit made to yell his name but found herself coughing from the exertion.

She grimaced at the pain, but she was panicking. What was going on?! Why is she here?! Where is here?! What happened?! Where is NICK?!

She heard someone drop something at the door.

"OH! Oh, Shi- uh… Uhhh Um, Miss Hopps! Y-Yaaa… Okay. Yeah. You're awake? I mean , uh, you're awake! Oh, man. Errr, please, don't move!"

Judy's head swiveled to where a male antelope was rushing to her bedside, dressed in medical attire. Was she in a hospital?

Her head felt like it was spinning, but she realized that she was laying in a bed surrounded by machines that were making beeping noises. She raised her arm to see a patch of fur missing where the IV was attached to her.

She was in a hospital. Of course, but if she was in a hospital? What happened? Where was…

The doe felt hoofs trying to push her back down, but she won't have any of that.

Judy suddenly grabbed the front of the antelope's shirt and hauled him to her eye level with a predator-like glare.

"Where. Is. NICK?!"

The nurse's eyes were wide, not expecting such an angry response from the rabbit.

"Uh. Uh. What—"

"NICK! MY PARTNER! WHERE IS HE?!" Judy snapped, driven by desperation and a fire within her to make sure her fox was okay. She still didn't know what happened, but by God, she was going to find out!

The antelope was shaking now. This rabbit was surprisingly strong and intimidating.

"Um. I don't know. H-H-He was brought here with you, but I-I don't know where he is. I swear! Could you… please…"

Judy's eyes widened with shock, a million thoughts and emotions crashing through her mind and heart.

Nick taken to the hospital. With her. That was when she started to remember. Sniper. The chase. Shots. Nick injured. Being thrown against a tree. Unconscious. Woke up. Nick missing. Hidden tunnel. Underground temple. Nick. Silver fox. Trap. Knife…

She released the antelope in a daze as her paw slowly came to lay over the bandages on her chest. Her eyes were brimming with tears.

 _I-I was stabbed?_

Her paw traveled around her chest and abdomen and felt more bandages. She looked down, jaw dropping with shock.

How many times was she stabbed? In front of… Nick. Where was he?

Judy's fire returned and she snapped her eyes back on the nurse.

"I need to see Nick!"

"Um, I'm not sure I can do tha—"

"What do you mean?!"

"Well, uh, you see, he's... gone."

Judy's heart plummeted, eyes glazed over. Gone? Gone? Died?! No! No no no…

She started to hyperventilate with panic.

The antelope's eyes widened at the realization of how she was interpreting it and quickly waved his hoofs in front of her, shaking his head.

"Oh nonononono! He isn't… dead if that's what you're thinking. No, he was released."

The nurse smiled at the relief that visibly flooded over the lapin as she laid back down in the bed with a huge sigh of relief.

Judy closed her eyes and took deep breaths. Nick wasn't dead. He was fine. Good. But Nick had lost a lot of blood. That would take days to recover from. So how long was she out? Surely not more than a week?

Without opening her eyes, Judy asked a question.

"How long was I… asleep?"

"Uh… 5 months."

Her eyes snapped open as she shot back up in the bed.

"WHAT?!" Her voice reached a shrill pitch which she instantly regretted as she started coughing again.

The antelope winced at each cough, and he quickly tried to push her back down into the pillow. Judy allowed him this time.

The nurse gave a nervous grin.

"Uh, I wouldn't do that again."

Judy shot him a glare while she snapped at him between coughs.

"Y—You… Thi- Think?"

The antelope chuckled nervously before holding out a hoof.

"I'm Marcus. I have been taking care of you in the evenings. Err… just thought you should know, I guess."

Judy shook his hoof. The antelope took a deep breath and shrugged, uncertainty in his eyes.

"Umm, I'm not really sure what to do. I never had a patient wake up like this before. Then again… I never had a patient _wake up_ before."

Judy froze and looked at him with wide eyes.

"What do you mean exactly? 'Never had a patient wake up before.' What is that supposed to mean?"

Marcus rubbed the back of his neck, his mouth gawking nervously, trying to piece together an explanation.

"Uh… crap, how do I explain this?... Okay, well, you see this is the ward of the hospital where patients aren't expected to… err." He trailed off, unsure what to say.

Judy stared at him dumbfounded and felt a shiver go down her spine. Was he saying that she wasn't expected to… live? Was it that serious?

 _'_ _Well, yeah, dumb bunny, it was serious. You were stabbed how many times? Come on, Carrots. They probably didn't expect you to survive the night after the incident let alone the following days.'_

She frowned at that and mentally growled at the Nick in her head.

 _Shut up! No one asked you._

She turned her attention back to Marcus.

"You mean this is Hospice care?"

The antelope opened his mouth to speak but took a little while before he actually did.

"Uhhh, well, sort of? Not technically, I guess. Err, this is a place where people aren't expected to _wake up_. You know, like they are in a coma. Err, well, not really. Um, let me put it to you this way. People are declared braindead in this ward."

Judy's eyes widened even further at the realization.

"You mean… Dead but not dead. The brain doesn't function but the person can still be kept alive with machines."

Marcus popped his lips in the awkward silence, his eyes searching the ceiling for something.

"Yep." He said simply. Judy could tell he was just as surprised and confused as she was.

She blinked and gulped, unsure if she wanted to know.

"And… was I, err…"

The nurse inhaled slowly before exhaling with a long drawn out sigh.

"Yeeeeaaaah… I don't know. It could have been a misdiagnosis. It could happen, but all I know is that you were declared braindead and would be held in this ward until your family or what not could arrange for you to be moved to another facility or… err… I always hate the thought of this…"

"Or, pull the plug." Judy whispered sadly.

The antelope sighed and nodded.

"Yeah, but no worries…"

He motioned to her awkwardly with an uneasy smile.

"You're not dead."

Judy couldn't help but smile at how awkward this nurse was.

"Yes, Marcus. Thank you for stating the obvious. You don't get out much, do you?"

The antelope chuckled nervously.

"Yeah, how could you tell?"

The rabbit rolled her eyes while shaking her head.

"Well for one, you are having trouble communicating. And two, you decided to work in a place where the patients don't respond to you and during the evening too."

Marcus thought about it before nodding his head.

"Makes sense… Well, I don't know what else to do besides go getting the doctor… Man, I don't even think I will be able to explain this. I'll be back, I guess. Anyways, I'll just… yeah. Bye."

The antelope rushed out the door. Judy could hear him yelling someone's name somewhere in the maze of hallways. It must be night. Her room could fit an elephant and a few of her siblings, but that was it. There was an array of flowers stacked along several tables in the corner. Flowers of all sorts. Someone must be spending a small fortune to provide those flowers. She wondered who.

Everyone is silent. Probably because everyone isn't awake and probably won't ever awake.

The doe shivered at the thought. She was one of them? She was braindead? Wow. How is this possible? It can't be. Once your braindead, that's it, yet she woke up. Perhaps it was only a misdiagnosis, a glitch in the machines that were used to reach the conclusion, or another error made by someone. Regardless, it was the most bizarre feeling knowing that she had been counted as one of the mammals in this building that were doomed to a sleep that they will never wake up from. In essence, they were dead mammals being kept alive by machines only.

Dead.

Judy's eyes watered as she hugged her arms to her chest as she lay back in the bed. She trembled. She could be dead right now.

Nick. Her parents. Family. Friends. They must be all thinking she was dead or something close to it if not the same, braindead.

Judy bit her lip.

 _Oh gosh. What happened? I just remember waiting for the knife to fall, and…_

Tears began to come as she shut her eyes and grimaced as the memories returned. She knew what happened…

* * *

 _She was waiting for the knife to fall. She could hear Nick's tormented breathing. Her eyes were closed._

 _"_ _Please… Please don't…" She heard the fox whisper weakly. It brought tears to her eyes._

 _Then she felt it._

 _She gasped as the knife was plunged into her chest._

 _"_ _NOOOOO!" Nick had somehow managed to release a loud roar of desperation._

 _She felt the blood entering her throat and barely registered the knife being withdrawn and plunged down again. Her body convulsed with each wound. She quickly felt the hot blood pouring from her body. She didn't know her small body could contain so much blood._

 _She heard laughter and could just make out through her fading vision, a dead eyed fox grinning manically with a bloodied knife in his paws ready to give the final blow as Nick whimpered and struggled against his depleted energy to move._

 _Her vision and hearing was fading but she could just make out shouts coming from the surrounding tunnels and the silver fox dropping the knife and holding up his paws with a growl, frustrated by something. She saw a couple of figures pull the fox to the ground and cuff him, but that was all before everything turned to darkness…_

* * *

Judy opened her eyes with a shaky inhale. She remembered the feeling of each stab, but also every tormented howl from Nick.

She needed him now. She wanted to hold him and never let go, and she sensed that he would feel the same way.

"J-Judy?

She turned towards the hushed voice, and her heart melted.

There in the doorway was a trembling teary eyed fox, looking the same as he had always did. Khaki slacks with a Pawaiian shirt, but he was noticeably more tired looking. Bags hung from his eyes. His eyes were not as sharp as she remembered. His fur looked paled in some areas. But besides those few things, he was the same fox she remembered. The same Nick.

Judy felt her eyes instantly tear up as she gulped out a response.

"Nick… I was so—"

She didn't get far as the vulpine had dropped the bouquet of flowers he had been holding to the floor and was at her bed side and giving her a tight and needy embrace before she even realized he had moved from where he was at the door.

He was trembling violently as he released heavy sighs of relief.

"J-Judy, I thought I lost you. Y-Y-You came back. You came back…"

The rabbit melted into his embrace. She buried her face in his neck fur, releasing sobs before she could stop herself.

She wrapped her arms as far as they would go around him.

Judy never felt so relieved and happy to see another mammal.

"I was worried about you, Nick. I-I thought you died. I think I almost killed the nurse trying to figure out where you were."

She felt the embrace tighten even further as Nick half sobbed and half laughed before he pulled back to smile at her through wet eyes. He wiped away a few tears. Nick Wilde. Crying. A rare moment.

"Gosh, Judy. You don't know how glad I am to see you alive."

He laid his paws on her shoulders, gripping her like he was afraid she would disappear. His eyes betrayed pain.

"When they said you were braindead, I-I couldn't believe it. Carrots… Judy, I was devastated. I-I…"

He hauled her in for another hug, his cheek nuzzling the top of her head as he closed his eyes.

"Don't ever do that again. Don't you dare. Don't go running in alone. Don't come save me without backup. I will die for you, Judy. Don't you dare do something stupid and, and, and risky and… Just don't take those risks again. Please, you dumb bunny. I can't lose you again. Can't."

Judy's eyes watered with a greater amount of tears as she took in every word the fox spoke. She took in the pain in his voice. The sincerity of it that was so rare for him to have. She had seen him like this before but never this intense. He must have been very troubled. She was touched.

Nick gulped before he continued, letting a few tears of his own drip onto the rabbit's head.

"You're my partner. You are my best friend. You provided hope to me when I had none. You gave me a chance when no one else would. You're irreplaceable, Judy. Just don't die… again… Don't die again, please… You don't know how much I've missed your voice and smile. Gosh, I love that smile. And I love…"

Judy recognized the hesitation in his voice and her heart accelerated. She looked up at him with large watery violets.

 _Oh please, say it. Please. Tell me if it's true, Nick… Please be true…_

"Nick? Love what?... Nick…"

The fox gave a shaky sigh with a hint of uncertainty about whether he should continue or not.

"Nothing. It's nothing. I just love…" His voice trailed off as he met those large violet eyes that were gazing at him with wonder. He felt his skin develop goosebumps as a tingling feeling spread throughout his body.

Judy raised a paw to his and squeezed it.

Nick's held breath blew out of him at the contact.

" _You_."

The rabbit's eyes flickered with something then. Was it confusion or realization? Her voice was soft and hushed.

"What?"

Nick's shaky paws moved to hold her face while he took one last gulp before taking the plunge.

"I love… you."

Judy felt her hear t leap as she gave the biggest smile she had given in a long time.

She suddenly threw herself around Nick's neck, much to his surprise, and hugged him tightly. She breathed a sigh.

"I'm glad you do. Cause I love you too."

Nick was choking for air but he didn't care. After hearing those words, his grin grew to epic proportions. He would let her choke her to death. He would… No, he wouldn't. He… He really needed air. She really was choking him, albeit unintentionally.

"Uh, Ca… Car…. ot… s… nee…need… ai…air."

Judy's eyes widened as she froze with realization.

"Oh!" She quickly released him, and he bent over gasping and clutching his throat. "Nick! I'm so sorry! I didn't mean…"

Nick waved a paw, while turned away.

"Q-Quite… al…alright, Car… Carrots… I don… don't blame you… Wow! You have a death grip."

Judy gave a nervous grin, blushing as Nick finally stood upright and shook his head to clear the dots of light dancing across his vision.

He grinned at her and gave her a big warm hug, not tight and needy like before, but warm and welcoming.

"I'm so happy right now. Carrots, you don't even know."

Judy laughed as she hugged him back.

"Oh I think I do. I thought you were dead when I woke up. You lost all that blood, but then I learned that you were alive and well. I learned that I am alive. I learned that you love me. Oh gosh, you love me. Thank you. I was going crazy. I wished you would have told me sooner. I didn't think you felt he same way. I'm happy, Nick. And, we caught the bad guy!"

She laughed, but then soon realized that he didn't join in. Confused, she pushed away from the hug to better look at him.

"Nick? What's wrong?"

Nick sighed heavily before looking back at her with sadness and anger.

"We caught him, yes, but do we still have him? No."

Judy's heart dropped with her smile as her partner got to the point. Nick laid a paw on her shoulder.

"He escaped, Judy. He's still out there."

"How?! How did he escape?"

"He is a trained assassin, Judy. He lived up to his name and mysteriously disappeared like a ghost. His jail cell was still locked. The camera footage showed nothing."

"So, what? He is just going to get away with everything? Everything he did to us?!"

"I didn't say that, Judy. Look, we've uncovered a lot about him in the past three months. His real name is Flitch Slyton, believed to have died 17 years ago during a house fire. Get this: the house was next to the same park that all those murders happened. You know, the string of murders by the ghostly killer of Zootopia? Anyways, from there we have worked with the FBI and even foreign crime fighting agencies to create a history for this guy. Turns out. There are a little over 200 murders worldwide that we know of that can possibly be linked Flitch. He worked for many people, but it seems that every person he's ever worked for mysteriously died at some point. Carrots, the fox kills for sport. He kills for the fun of it. We have a few leads to go on, but so far he remains a... a ghost, for lack of a better term."

Judy frowned.

"So, he is just going to get away with it because he is too good to get caught?"

Nick grinned at that and nudged her with a wink.

"I wouldn't say that, Carrots. I seem to recall a fox who was 'too good' to be caught that a certain bunny managed to catch with tax evasion. Everyone slips up. It's just a matter of when. We'll get him, Judy. Don't worry. Until then, relax, you dumb bunny. Be thankful you're alive. I am. Just enjoy life, Fluff."

Judy sighed and smiled as she leaned towards him with sly mischievous eyes.

"I guess you're right. Relax. We'll get him. Enjoy life you say? I think I know of a few ways to do that, all of them involving one Mr. Fox."

Nick waggled his eyebrows at her, leaning forward too.

"Oh, I think I know some too, sly bunny."

Judy giggled a bit, her lips almost touching Nick's.

"Amazing fox."

They met each other for a kiss. Their first of many.

* * *

 ** _Edit 2/1/17:_ Okay, so originally i had published this chapter as the ending to the story but after reading through it. I have made my own conclusion: This us a very sucky way to end the story. As one of you wisely put it: I f***ed up. Not gonna lie, it's the truth.**

 **So with that being said, I wont leave this story off here after all. I will see what I can do about elaborating on a few things regarding Nick and Judy's relationship. BUT this story will not go much further unless i have a really good idea about how to continue it, which is not looking likely.**

 **Anyways, I will see what I can do. Just dont expect an update for a while. A long while. Maybe. We'll see.**

 **P.S: Go ahead and read my other stories! You may like them better than this one.**


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